Does Obesity Increase Mortality Risk?

[AshleyParticipant]

Does being overweight or obese really increase the risk of death?

[Kyle TuttleParticipant]

Obesity is becoming one of the most well known and most talked about epidemics of our generation. Roughly twenty years ago, over 33 % of the American population was estimated to be overweight or obese(1). According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services webpage concerning obesity, an estimated 300,000 deaths per year may be attributable to obesity(2). Obesity is certainly related to an increase mortality risk, or an increase in risk of death. Although obesity may not directly cause someone to die, it does increase one’s risk for many conditions and diseases that may directly increase the risk of death. These conditions include diabetes, hypertension or high blood pressure, coronary heat disease and some cancers(1). Some of the harmful effects of obesity may also be related to how fat is distributed within the body(1). For example, fat tissue located around the abdominal region has been linked as a possible risk for insulin resistance and diabetes. Diabetes alone is becoming a concern not only for Americans but also around the globe. In summary, yes, obesity does have a role in increasing one’s risk of death through different cause-related relationships.

Now for the good news! Physical activity is often associated inversely with the same risks of death related to obesity(3). In other words, physical activity may lead to a decrease in obesity, which may have a role in decreasing some of the above-mentioned risks, like diabetes. In multiple studies concerning diabetes, individuals who were physically active showed a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes than those individuals who did not have similar habits(3).

In conclusion, obese or overweight individuals may have an increased risk of death attributable to many different chronic diseases related to being overweight. This problem may curbed through good eating habits and physical activity!

Sources used:
1- Solomon CG, Manson JE. Obesity and mortality: a review of the epidemiologic data. Am J Clin Nutr. 1997;66(4):1044S-1050S.
2- http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calls/obesity/fact_consequences.html
3- Blair SN, Brodney S. Effects of physical inactivity and obesity on morbidity and mortality: current evidence and research issues. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999;31(11 Suppl):S646-62.

[McKinsey WilsonParticipant]

Researchers have found that those who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of premature death. This increased mortality risk is largely due to a range of chronic diseases that can be associated with obesity. With 67% of the US population being either overweight or obese, chronic disease and increased mortality risk have become major concerns for our society today (1).

Heart Disease is the number one cause of death in the US, and it is more likely to develop in those who are overweight or obese (2). High blood pressure, a precursor to heart disease, is three times more common in obese adults than healthy weight adults. The prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes is also increasing at an alarming rate, and nearly 80% of those with this disease are overweight (1). Extra stores of fat around the abdominal area cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity and increase the risk for Type 2 Diabetes (3). Obesity has also been linked to several types of cancers, such as breast, prostate, colon, gallbladder, and kidney cancer (1).

Is our dominantly-overweight society doomed to a future of endless medical bills? Will the risk of death continue to loom over us? Not necessarily. Weight is not the only risk factor associated with these chronic diseases. Poor diet and lack of physical activity can also contribute to the risk for chronic diseases.

Studies have shown that a diet focused on fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, reduced saturated fat and total fat, and reduced sodium can significantly reduce blood pressure and the risk for heart disease as well as other chronic diseases (1,4). Physical activity can help decrease weight, improve heart health, and increase insulin sensitivity, thus decreasing the risk for many of the chronic diseases previously mentioned (1). Eating more fruits and vegetables and exercising regularly are examples of simple ways to decrease your risk of chronic disease and help you feel better!

1. Nelms M, Sucher K, Lacey K, Roth S. Energy Balance and Body Weight. In: Nutrition Therapy & Pathophysiology. 2nd ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning; 2011:248-260.

2. Deaths and Mortality. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Dept of Health and Human Services; 2011. Found at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm

3. Olofsson K, Cederholm J, Nillson P, et al. Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in Overweight and Obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: An Observation Study in 13,087 Patients. Diabetologia. 2009; 52:65-73

4. Sacks F, Svetkey L, Vollmer W, et al. Effects on Blood Pressure of Reduced Dietary Sodium and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet. N Engl J Med. 2001; 344(1): 3-10

[AshleyParticipant]

Thank you for responses! As you both mentioned, research has predominantly shown that an increased BMI is associated with an increased risk of death (1). However, I do appreciate your statement, “weight is not the only risk factor associated with [chronic disease].” I recently came across a more recent study showing a significant percentage of overweight and obese adults (6% – 50%, depending on population) to be metabolically healthy, meaning that while they may exhibit additional body fat, they do not have these conditions and diseases (diabetes, heart disease, hypertension) (2). In addition, an observational study conducted at UC Davis for six years determined that “only severe obesity (but not milder obesity or overweight) was associated with increased mortality”, and that surprisingly, mortality risk was actually lower in obese individuals with diabetes than among normal weight individuals with the same disease (3).

References
1. Solomon CG, Manson JE. Obesity and mortality: a review of the epidemiologic data. Am J Clin Nutr. 1997;66(4):1044S-1050S.
2. Alfadda AA. Circulating Adipokines in Healthy versus Unhealthy Overweight and Obese Subjects. Int J Endocrinol. 2014. doi:10.1155/2014/170434.
3. Jerant A, Franks P. Body Mass Index, Diabetes, Hypertension, and Short-Term Mortality: A Population-Based Observational Study, 2000–2006. J Am Board Fam Med. 2012;25(4):422-431.

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