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I
t is important to understand that obesity is not just an uncomfortable
condition of the body. Obesity can cause serious health problems. Many
people are not aware of these problems, so they do not try to prevent the
problems before they appear. This is unfortunate, since prevention is possible,
though difficult.
One of the worst health problems caused by obesity is Type 2 diabetes. One
study found that about 80 percent of people with Type 2 diabetes are obese.
People with diabetes do not have insulin in their bodies. Insulin helps the body
to absorb, or take in, sugar. If the body cannot absorb sugar, several bad things
can happen. A person with diabetes can suffer from seizures (losing control of
the body) or fall into a coma.
A number of other problems related to obesity have also been found.
Obesity can cause heart disease. Heart disease happens when the vessels that
deliver blood to the heart become blocked. This makes it more likely that such
people will suffer from heart attacks, which take place
when the heart loses blood supply and cannot pump
properly. Furthermore, obesity causes problems with
breathing, especially when sleeping. Obese people are
at high risk for arthritis as well as certain kinds of
cancers.
All of these problems, and others, can be prevented. Of course, losing
weight is very difficult. Changing a lifestyle is hard and often painful. Even so,
the results of obesity are much worse.
