What Most People Don't Realize About Obesity

More than 650 million people are severely overweight, making obesity a worldwide epidemic. 

To make sure you don’t add to that statistic — or don’t stay there for long — Dr. James Lee and our team at Woodstock Family Practice & Urgent Care offer effective, medically supervised weight loss strategies. 

Your weight has a direct impact on your health and the length of your life, so we want to help you reach and maintain a healthy BMI. 

As you consider your weight, your lifestyle, and your health, here are a few facts that may surprise you about obesity.

There’s a difference between being overweight and obese

If your body mass index (BMI) is 30 or higher, you’re one of the millions of people around the globe who are suffering from life-threatening obesity. 

You can calculate your BMI by dividing your weight in pounds by your height in inches and multiplying the total by 703 — or just plug your numbers into this BMI calculator. If you land somewhere between 25.0 and 29.9, you’re considered overweight, and anything 30.0 and above is obese. 

Obesity is more prevalent than ever

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity has tripled since 1975. The reasons for the surge are many and varied, but they include:

• Less physical activity
• Medication side effects
• Mental and emotional disorders
• Higher-calorie foods

In addition to more calories, today’s diets tend to have more carbohydrates, sugar, and fat than they did years ago, which contributes to the problem on the nutritional front.

Obesity is more deadly than starvation

Throughout history, inadequate nutrition and starvation have been a constant plight in many countries, and until recently, a much bigger problem than overweight. However, the WHO now reports that most people live in countries where obesity outpaces starvation as a cause of death. 

Obesity can lead to sexual dysfunction

You may know that obesity can lead to heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, but you may not realize it can cause problems in your sex life too. Studies show that being obese increases men’s chances of experiencing erectile dysfunction by up to 90%, and women with a high BMI suffer from lower libido. 

Obesity may cause cancer

Studies show that carrying too much weight can increase your chances of developing certain types of cancers. Compared with people at healthy weights, obesity ups your cancer risk at the following rates:

• Liver cancer: Two times higher
• Endometrial cancer: 2-4 times higher (seven times if you’re severely obese)
• Esophageal cancer: 4.8 times higher
• Kidney cancer: Two times higher

These are just a few of the types of cancer that obesity affects. 

Obesity is preventable

Even if you’re genetically predisposed to carrying extra weight, you can still take action to prevent it. 

Diet and exercise are keys to maintaining a healthy weight throughout your lifetime, and as your body ages, you may need to make adjustments to keep in sync with your changing metabolism. Obesity is not inevitable.

Obesity is treatable

Dr. Lee is passionate about helping our patients lose excess weight and reach their health goals. We know how difficult it is to make that journey alone, so we partner with you every step of the way. 

We conduct a full physical exam to determine any obstacles to weight loss, such as hormonal imbalances and metabolic syndrome. We also provide nutritional counseling, appetite suppressants, fat-burning injections, and medically supervised diets to ensure safe and healthy results.

Don’t become a statistic — call us today or click on our “book online” button to schedule a consultation with Dr. Lee that can turn your health and your life around.