Extreme overweight (obesity class 3)

Obesity is a medical condition where a person is found to carry a weight over what is considered to be healthy in proportion to the height. The people who are classified with obesity class 3 are extremely overweight and have a very high risk of developing further health problems. The classification extreme overweight (obesity class 3) includes people with a BMI who have been measured to 40 or higher.

Extreme overweight (obesity class 3)

There are several physicals, emotional, and psychological health problems that are acknowledged as a result of being overweight. The heart is drastically affected by those people who are within the obesity class 3.

Heart problems include high blood pressure as well as high cholesterol and triglycerides (fat) in the blood. The risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and complete heart failure rises dramatically with increased weight.

Diabetes has a significantly higher risk of developing in those who are overweight. Being overweight also puts unnecessary and unwanted stress on the body’s joints and bone structure. It risks causing pain and stiffness, which can lead to osteoarthritis.

Sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is another risk associated with obesity. Sleep apnea occurs when breathing temporarily ceases during sleep, which interferes with the essential and natural sleep cycles. The lack of sleep can cause a person to feel more tired during the day and can lead to poor attention and judgment. An episode of perceived fatigue risks putting the individual in a potentially dangerous situation.

Shortened life – a risk factor

Other physical health risks associated with obesity include stroke, fatigue, impaired liver function, gallstones, breathing, and even some cancers. For women, obesity can affect the regularity of menstruation and increase the risk of an unhealthy pregnancy. Obesity generally affects the entire body and its ability to function from day to day and has been shown to reduce life expectancy significantly.

People suffering from obesity class 3 also have a higher risk of depression. This may be due to a person’s self-image, feelings of discrimination from others as well as missed events and opportunities. A risk factor does not mean that disease or problem will develop but instead increases the risk for it to occur.

Again, those in obesity class 3 have a much higher risk of developing these serious health problems. Obesity is a severe and life-threatening condition. There are no benefits to being diagnosed with obesity class 3. Instead, it carries a large number of very high risks. Obesity has been established as a significant contributing factor in reduced quality of life and a significantly shortened life expectancy.

An increased risk of illness

Some serious medical problems are at risk for developing for those individuals diagnosed with obesity category 3. These people have a significantly higher risk factor to be affected by, among other things, the diseases listed below:

  • Osteoarthritis, leg and joint problems due to extra load
  • Cancer
  • Diabetes
  • Gallstones
  • Heart attack
  • Hjärtsvikt
  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • High cholesterol and triglycerides
  • Liver disease
  • Stroke
  • Sleep apnea

Waist circumference

The waist and hip dimensions of a person also affect health. For obese individuals with a waist size exceeding specific accepted dimensions, for women 88 cm, for men 100 cm, this indicates a much higher risk of developing severe heart disease in the future, as well as type 2 diabetes.

Of course, there are also other factors for an individual’s development of these diseases, such as a sedentary lifestyle and an unhealthy diet. Having a family history of challenging medical conditions also increases the likelihood of developing these diseases.

The classification of extreme overweight (obesity class 3) is the highest level of BMI classification. Here you must try to reduce your weight as soon as possible to at least obesity class 2. At a continued high level, there is a risk of a reduced life span.

You can also read a research article about deaths associated with overweight and obesity at the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).