What are the risk of Obesity? What are the Treatments?

What are the risk of Obesity? What are the Treatments?

At 11:00 pm on a Saturday night a 34 year old man was admitted to a hospital that was 4 miles from his home. The man called 911 after not being able to get up from his sofa. When arriving at the hospital and being weighed, it was determined the man weighed just over 800 pounds. The hospital was far from equipped to handle someone of this size, but at the time, no other medical facility could take him. Two regular beds were tied together until a specialty bed could be ordered. It took 7 staff members to assist the patient in movement, as he was unable to get around at all on his own.

Related: How to Express a Complaint or Concern This is a case that takes some very critical thinking outside the box. A specialty bed was ordered for the patient, which accommodated him much better than two beds tied. Because of the small size of this medical center, it was assumed the man would be transferred to a larger hospital the following day. Unfortunately the following day, as the doctors called hospital after hospital, they all declined to accept the patient. He could not go back home, and he could not even move, much less stand up. So the work began.

Hours and several days later a skilled nursing center agreed to take the patient. The transfer to the nursing center went fine, and the patient was admitted with ease. The facility has more equipped to help with transfers, etc. and the patient was more comfortable. The patient remained at the center for 14 months, and lost an amazing 319 pounds. He was eventually able to have surgery to remove extra skin, which allowed him to fit an exercise plan into his routine. He left the facility and after having surgery, he was able to lose another 200 pounds. Today this gentleman speaks as a motivational speaker, providing support to obese patients that have all but given up.

This story ended well, but not all have this happy ending. Drug addiction and alcohol addiction centers are readily available, yet this man with a food addiction had to search and search for help. A program could consist of medical care, therapy, nutrition support, and exercise. Retraining the mind and body to a new way of living is never easy, but it can be done, and should be done for those asking for help.

Risks Associated with Obesity Overweight and Obesity-Related Health Problems in Adults Coronary Heart Disease Obesity also can lead to heart failure. This is a serious condition in which your heart can't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs.

High Blood Pressure Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. If this pressure rises and stays high, it can damage the body in many ways.

Being overweight or obese can lead to a buildup of plaque in your arteries.

Eventually, an area of plaque can rupture, causing a blood clot to form. If the clot is close to your brain, it can block the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain and cause a stroke. The risk of having a stroke rises as BMI increases.

Type 2 Diabetes In type 2 diabetes, the body's cells don't use insulin properly. At first, the body reacts by making more insulin. Over time, however, the body can't make enough insulin to control its blood sugar level. Diabetes is a leading cause of early death, CHD, stroke, kidney disease, and blindness. Most people who have type 2 diabetes are overweight.

Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is a common joint problem of the knees, hips, and lower back.

The condition occurs if the tissue that protects the joints wears away. Extra weight can put more pressure and wear on joints, causing pain.

Sleep Apnea Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep.

Related: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Facts Understanding Obesity Many people do not understand obese people. There is no group of people in society that are ridiculed more, than obese people. While some people may be comfortable with being overweight, most people are not content with being overweight, especially if they are morbidly obese. Society in general is more understanding of substance abuse patients, than of obese patients, and while all patients seeking help should be recognized for their efforts to get help, one group should not be penalized simply because their addiction is

food. A great saying to remember when passing judgment is, “until you have walked in my shoes�.

If you know someone that is obese and wants support, there are multiple sites that offer emotional and nutritional support.

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