Excess body fat can lead to a host of health problems. There are the obvious ones—heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure—that you hear about all the time. And there are others that may be less obvious. To learn about some of the other risks associated with excess body fat and obesity, click each body system listed below.
| Body System | Health Risks Related to Excess Body Fat |
|---|---|
| Respiratory | sleep apnea—a condition in which a person stops breathing periodically while sleeping |
| Musculoskeletal | gout—a painful inflammatory condition that affects one or more joints; excessive wear on knee and ankle joints |
| Reproductive | fertility problems for both men and women; breast cancer; uterine cancer |
| Neurological | carpal tunnel syndrome—a painful nerve disorder that affects the wrist and hand |
| Gastrointestinal | gall bladder disease; colon cancer; cancer of the esophagus |
| Psychological | depression |
The good news is that many of these health risks can be reduced or eliminated without drastic weight loss. By losing only 10% of their body weight, people who are obese can improve their health and save thousands of dollars that they would have had to spend treating obesity-related illnesses.
Jayden, who weighs 245 lbs., makes a plan to lose 25 lbs. through a balanced diet and low-impact exercise. His cousin Darnell says that even if Jayden loses 25 lbs., he’ll still be overweight. Evaluate the effectiveness of Jayden’s plan.
Tori, who has been sedentary for years, decides to start running 5 miles a day to get in shape for prom. How effective is this health-related decision likely to be?
| Your Responses | Sample Answers |
|---|---|
| Jayden knows that by losing 10 percent of his body weight, he can reduce or eliminate many of the health risks associated with having excess body fat. His plan is an effective health-related decision. It is an achievable goal. | |
| Because she has been sedentary up until now, Tori is likely to injure herself if she starts running 5 miles rather than building up to that distance. In addition, since her goal is to look good at prom, it’s unlikely that Tori will continue with a more active lifestyle when prom is over. This is not an effective health-related decision. |
