Obesity is no longer a symbol of wealth, but a "petri dish" for disease

In the past, many people did not think that obesity was a bad thing or a disease. Some even viewed obesity as a sign of “health”, a sign of improved living standards, and a symbol of affluence. However, as the health problems caused by obesity become more and more serious, people have gradually realized that obesity is no longer a symbol of affluence, but a “petri dish” for disease. At the same time, the mortality rate of obesity is comparable to that of cancer, so it has been likened to “cancer of affluence”! [1]

So today, let’s learn about the harm that obesity brings to us:

First of all, obesity can cause immeasurable harm to various systems of the human body. The cardiovascular system is the first to be affected. Relevant studies have confirmed that obesity is a high-risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as coronary atherosclerosis, heart failure, sudden cardiac death and atrial fibrillation. Obesity and the "three highs (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood lipids)" are also "good friends" who go hand in hand. Obesity combined with diabetes, fatty liver, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia and other digestive and metabolic diseases are becoming more and more common.

For the respiratory system, adipose tissue accumulates in the abdomen or diaphragm, causing the diaphragm to lift, reducing tidal volume, and reducing lung capacity. In severe cases, it leads to decreased pulmonary ventilation, decreased oxygen partial pressure, and even hypoxemia.

For the immune system, excessive obesity is associated with damage to the immune system. Clinical and epidemiological surveys have found that obesity is associated with some infectious diseases, because obese patients can change some inflammatory factors, which reduces the phagocytic function of macrophages, making them more susceptible to erysipelas, enteritis, perianal abscesses, skin furuncle and other infectious diseases.

At the same time, obesity has become a dangerous source of cancer, a deadly killer of humans. Data show that for every 5kg/m2 increase in BMI for men, the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma increases by 52%, the risk of thyroid cancer increases by 34%, the risk of colon cancer increases by 24%, and the risk of kidney cancer increases by 24%; and for every 5kg/m2 increase in BMI for women, the risk of endometrial cancer increases by 59%, the risk of gallbladder cancer increases by 59%, the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma increases by 51%, and the risk of kidney cancer increases by 34%. Obesity not only increases the risk of cancer, but also increases its mortality rate. There is a linear increase in the risk of death from obesity and cancer. Obesity will also increase the burden on bones and joints, causing bone and joint lesions. [1]

Secondly, from a psychological perspective: obese people have more prominent anxiety and depression problems. They often feel inferior and depressed because of their large body or eye-catching weight. Because they are overweight or obese, obese people usually care a lot about what others think of their appearance and have a high level of self-esteem. Sometimes, an inadvertent joke may cause them unbearable harm. Most obese people are usually introverted, timid, and do not like to communicate with others. They just want to hide themselves in their daily study or work and try to reduce their presence. And with the change of social aesthetics, obese people are more likely to be ridiculed or discriminated against. Therefore, they are more likely to have interpersonal relationship problems such as hostility and loneliness. [2] Especially for children, psychological problems such as inferiority and depression caused by obesity seriously affect their future values ​​and will have a huge impact on themselves, their families and society.

Finally, from a social perspective: According to a survey, in 2018, there were about 85 million obese people aged 18 to 69 in China, including about 48 million men and about 37 million women. By 2030, there will be 800 million overweight or obese people in my country. This huge number not only brings us a visual impact, but also brings a huge burden to our society. As the number of obese people increases, a series of diseases caused by obesity will also increase year by year, which will undoubtedly bring huge pressure to our medical industry. The investment in medical costs will increase significantly, and the cost of government investment in science and technology and education will also decrease; the increase in the number of obese people will cause a large loss of social labor, and some industries with high physical requirements may face a shortage of talents. For example, heavy physical labor jobs may be ignored, and people’s economic strength and purchasing power will be greatly reduced. At the same time, a series of social and psychological problems caused by obesity will also become the "murderer" affecting our people's happiness. [3]

In the 21st century, obesity has become a major "enemy" that threatens our physical health. Only by paying attention to obesity, learning about obesity, and staying away from obesity can we live a happy life.

References:

[1] Liu Min, Liu Guoliang. Obesity: a more harmful disease than diabetes[J]. Journal of Practical Diabetes, 2016, 12(03): 3-4.

[2] Li Huanyu, Wang Jifu. A review of research on psychological characteristics of obese college students[J]. Journal of Yangtze University (Natural Science Edition), 2015, 12(13): 68-71+
5.DOI:10.16772/j.cnki.1673-1409.2015.13.018.

[3] Liu Haohui. A brief discussion on the causes and hazards of obesity and exercise intervention methods[J]. Contemporary Sports Science and Technology, 2020, 10(16): 231+
234.DOI:10.16655/j.cnki.2095-2813.2020.16.231.