When it comes to weight gain, most people focus on its impact on their overall appearance. However, while weight gain is often viewed as an aesthetic concern, it actually does more than just affect your waistline. What’s more worrying is how it can contribute to a number of health problems – for example, type 2 diabetes. Carrying extra weight can also put a strain on the heart and lungs, leading to cardiovascular diseases and respiratory problems.
London Weight Management, known for its slimming treatments in Singapore, reviews some of the dangers of weight gain and what you can do to avoid them.
A London Weight Management review on the effects of excess fat
#1 It takes a toll on your joints
From walking to more complex movements like running or dancing, our joints allow us to move our bodies in a wide range of motions. When we put stress on our joints through activities like exercise or lifting heavy objects, they absorb that impact and protect our bones from damage. However, your joints are designed to support only a certain amount of weight. When you exceed the weight they can take, your joints may begin to experience stress.
As you gain weight, weight-bearing joints like knees and hips have to support the extra load. This can lead to pain, stiffness and inflammation. What’s more, fat cells produce inflammatory chemicals that can damage the cartilage in your joints. Over time, this damage can lead to osteoarthritis – a degenerative form of arthritis that can reduce your range of motion.
#2 It increases your risk of type 2 diabetes
Though many factors can contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes, among the most significant is weight gain. It increases your risk for type 2 diabetes by causing insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas that helps regulate blood sugar levels. When you eat foods containing carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose (sugar) and releases them into your bloodstream. In response, your pancreas releases insulin to help shuttle the glucose into your cells, where it’s used for energy.
However, having excess body fat can cause the body to become resistant to insulin, meaning that the insulin has difficulty moving the sugar into the cells. When your body’s cells start to become less responsive to insulin, this can contribute to high blood sugar levels and, over time, type 2 diabetes.
Excess weight can also interfere with normal sleep patterns and lead to sleep apnea (see below). This is another condition that raises diabetes risk.
#3 It can cause sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition in which people stop breathing for brief periods of time during the night. These pauses can last for a few seconds or up to minutes, and they often happen multiple times throughout the night. People with sleep apnea often snore loudly, but not everyone who snores has sleep apnea.
So, how does weight gain increase your risk of developing sleep apnea? When you’re overweight, the extra fat tissue around your neck can put pressure on your airway, making it narrower. This makes it harder for air to flow through your nose and mouth and into your lungs. Apart from loud snoring, you may start to feel tired during the day as you’re unable to get enough quality sleep at night.
#4 It can lead to gallstones
Gallstones are small, hard deposits that form in your gallbladder, a small, sac-like organ on the right side of your abdomen. Your gallbladder’s function is to store and release bile. Composed of water, cholesterol, bilirubin and bile salts, bile helps break down fats in the small intestine during digestion.
However, when there is an imbalance in the chemical composition of bile, gallstones can develop. If you consume too much fatty food, it can result in an increase in cholesterol production and lead to an imbalance in the composition of bile. This can cause gallstones to form. Although most gallstones don’t cause symptoms, they can sometimes cause pain in the upper abdomen. This pain is often felt in the right side of the abdomen and can radiate to the back or shoulder.
In addition, carrying around extra weight puts additional strain on your gallbladder, which can cause it to empty improperly. When this happens, bile becomes concentrated and more prone to forming gallstones.
it’s important to start making changes to your diet and lifestyle so that you don’t put yourself at risk of developing gallstones.
Review your weight gain with London Weight Management
Overall, maintaining a healthy weight is one of the best things you can do for your long-term health. Losing even a few kilos can help to reduce the likelihood of developing the above health problems.
That being said, anyone who has ever tried to lose weight knows that it’s not an easy task. There are many different approaches to weight loss, and it can be hard figuring out which methods works best for you. If you’re looking for individualised treatments and support, London Weight Management may be a good option for you.
On your first visit, you’ll undergo a body fat analysis and a one-on-one consultation with a specialist. This comprises of a body composition test which calculates your BMI (body mass index), water retention levels, waist-to-hip ratio, and body measurements, for an in-depth understanding of your dietary and lifestyle habits, to review the cause of your weight problem. After the initial review, the team at London Weight Management will design a customised slimming programme based on your individual needs. This tailored approach can help you work towards efficient and sustainable weight loss effortlessly.
There are lots of reviews online from women who have tried the treatments – these give you a good idea of what to expect. You can also visit any of London Weight Management’s outlets in Singapore to get a firsthand experience of their award-winning treatments. If you’re ready to make a commitment to your health, consider London Weight Management to help with your slimming efforts.
Written in collaboration with London Weight Management
