Health Matters! Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds

Health problems associated with obesity

People who are obese are more likely to suffer from:

• coronary heart disease;

• type 2 diabetes;

• gall stones;

• arthritis;

• high blood pressure;

• some types of cancers, i.e. colon,

breast, kidney and stomach.

Health issues and weight loss

Most of the health problems associated with obesity decrease through weight loss.

People who are very overweight find it more difficult to be physically active and this may add to their health problems.

The role of physical activity

Many people in the UK have very inactive lifestyles – few people have physically active jobs or participate in significant amounts of physical activity out of work.

Lack of activity is an important factor in the increasing incidence of obesity. Walking or cycling instead of using a car, going to exercise classes and taking part in team sports such as football can all help a person maintain a healthy body weight by increasing energy output.