Obesity - Complications of obesity

Obesity can cause a number of further problems, from difficulties with daily activities to serious health conditions.

Some of the day-to-day problems that can be caused by obesity include:

  • breathlessness
  • increased sweating
  • snoring
  • difficulty doing physical activity
  • feeling very tired a lot of the time
  • joint and back pain
  • low confidence and self-esteem
  • feeling isolated

You may also find that some of the psychological problems associated with being obese affect your relationships with family members and friends, and may lead to depression.

Further health problems

Being obese can also increase your risk of many potentially serious health conditions, including:

Obesity reduces life expectancy by an average of 3 to 10 years, depending on how severe the problem is. It's estimated that being overweight or obese contributes to at least 1 in every 13 deaths in Europe.

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