Angina
Angina describes the pain and tightness in the chest caused when blood flow in the arteries, that supply the heart with the oxygen and nutrients that it needs, is restricted. This is usually due to the coronary arteries becoming furred up with fatty deposits, a process called
atherosclerosis (coronary heart disease).
Being overweight contributes to angina which in turn increases the chance of a heart attack and stroke.
Asthma
Asthma is a condition where the airways become irritated and inflamed. This makes it more difficult for air to flow in and out of the lungs and causes the symptoms of coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest.
Obesity can lead to narrowing of the airways making breathing difficult and so limiting physical activity.
Bariatrics
The field of medicine that offers treatment for an overweight or obese person with a comprehensive program including diet and nutrition, exercise, behaviour modification, lifestyle changes and, when indicated, the prescription of appropriate medications. Bariatrics also includes research into overweight, its causes, prevention, and treatment.
Bariatric surgery is performed on the stomach and/or intestines as a weight loss tool for obese people, where non-surgical weight loss techniques are exhausted or are not considered suitable.
Blood Pressure
Blood is pumped around the body by the heart carrying oxygen and nutrients. The pumping action of the heart means that the blood is under pressure within the arteries and this is an essential and normal part of the way the body works. High blood pressure develops if the walls of the larger arteries lose their elasticity and become rigid or the small blood vessels become narrower.
Overweight or obese people can suffer from high blood pressure as fatty deposits lining the artery walls can restrict blood flow, meaning the heart has to pump harder to circulate blood around the body.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Body mass index (BMI) is a calculation that evaluates the ratio of your weight to height to determine if you are at a healthy body weight. BMI is often used to predict a person's risk of diseases associated with obesity, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and other conditions.
A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal, 25 to 29.9 is overweight, and 30 to 34.9 is considered obese. Any score higher than 35 is considered morbidly obese.
Cancer
Being overweight and obese increases the risk of developing cancer of both the large intesting and rectum. Additionally, women are at a higher risk of developing cancer of the breast, ovary, uterus and cervix.
Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus ("sugar diabetes") is where the body is unable to regulate the amount of glucose in the blood properly and no longer responds adequately to the natural hormone insulin, or when production of insulin is too low. Type 2 diabetes usually has no symptoms, but can be identified by an excessive thirst and frequent trips to the toilet. It can be controlled with diet, exercise or medication, but if ignored or poorly controlled, can increase the risk of heart disease and strokes, nerve damage and blindness.
Overweight people with low physical activity levels, high blood pressure or high cholesterol are at an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes as excess body fat can result in a build up of sugar.
Gastric Band
Gastric banding is a type of weight loss surgery where an adjustable band is placed around the upper part of the stomach to create a small pouch (about the size of a golf ball). This restricts the volume of food that can be eaten and speeds up the feeling of satiety / fullness. The food then passes through the gap created by the band and enters the digestive system as normal.
The operation is done under general anaesthesia using laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery techniques. The band is usually kept in the body for life but is reversible in the sense that no anatomy is altered during the procedure. Subsequent adjustments to increase or decrease the restriction provided by the band are undertaken by the Consultant in the clinic.
Gastric Bypass
Gastric bypass is a type of weight loss surgery where part of the stomach is removed to restrict the volume of food that can be eaten (speeding up the feeling of satiety / fullness) and part of the bowel is removed to make the digestive system shorter. A gastric bypass is a malabsorptive procedure which means that, by reducing the length of the digestive system, the body absorbs fewer calories from the food passing through. This also reduces the vitamins and minerals absorbed by the body so a gastric bypass patient will be required to take a daily vitamin and mineral supplement.
The operation is usually performed under general anaesthesia using laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery techniques.
Genetics
The study of inheritance patterns of specific traits.
Heart attacks
Heart attacks happen when a coronary artery carrying oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle is blocked. If the blood supply is cut off, a part of the heart muscle dies - or infarcts. A heart attack is also known as a myocardial infarction (MI) or coronary thrombosis.
Obese people have a high proportion of body fat, and more fat deposits in arteries to the heart. This increases the chance of having a stroke or heart attack.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a type of fat (lipid) found in every cell in the body and is essential for good health. A high level of cholesterol in the blood (hypercholesterolaemia) is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Some of the contributory factors to an increase in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and a decrease in HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels are:
Infertility
Obesity is linked with infertility in both men and women. Women who are overweight can suffer from hormonal imbalances and disruption of menstrual cycles which can reduce their fertility. Men who are overweight can suffer from a decrease in testosterone levels, a diminished sex drive and a reduced ability to produce sperm.
Laparoscopy
This is a commonly performed method of surgery using specially designed instruments and cameras operated through small incisions (often referred to as keyhole surgery). This results in minimal tissue scarring, in comparison with an open procedure.
NICE guidelines
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is the independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on the promotion of good health and the prevention and treatment of ill health. The guidance is written by independent experts including staff from the NHS, local authorities and other organisations, and people representing patients and carers.
NICE have published guidelines on the treatment of obesity to assist health professionals in the NHS and public sector determine a patient’s suitability for surgery and the options available to them.
Obesity
A person is considered obese when they have a BMI of over 30 which generally translates to being 20% over the normal weight for their height.
Osteoarthritis
The word "arthritis" means inflammation of the joints, and refers to a group of more than 200 diseases of the joints, which affect more than 8 million people in the UK. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis with symptoms of pain, stiffness and swelling of the joints.
The risk of osteoarthritis is increased by obesity as carrying extra weight puts added strain on the joints, especially the knees, ankles and lower back.
Sleep Apnoea
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a sleep disorder in which a person repeatedly stops breathing (apnoea) or experiences shallow breathing (hypopnea) for short periods of time during sleep.
Because not enough air can flow into the lungs through the mouth and nose, people with OSA often have loud, heavy snoring that is interrupted with choking sounds or loud snorts followed by periods of silence. The periods of silence can last 20 seconds or longer and can occur many times each hour, resulting in poor sleep, reduced levels of oxygen in the blood and excessive sleepiness.
Urinary incontinence
Incontinence is defined as an involuntary loss of urine that's enough to cause a social or hygiene concern. It is about four times more common in women than in men. Being overweight can increase the risk of developing urinary incontinence as the added pressure on the bladder weakens the surrounding muscles and can result in a leakage of urine, commonly when coughing or sneezing.
