By age 60, nearly one-third of obese women can be expected to have developed gall bladder disease. As an individual becomes more overweight, the muscular work required to use the lungs makes breathing more difficult. In addition, respiratory muscles sometimes do not function normally in overweight individuals. An increase in body weight adds stress to weight-bearing joints, which can cause degeneration of the joints. In middle aged women, excess body weight is a major predictor for the development of osteoarthritis of the knee.
Obese individuals can have problems with work-related physical activities, sports, and with sleep.
These problems are related to back and joint problems and shortness of breath. Obesity can have a very negative effect on one's self image and emotions as a result of feeling unattractive. Each year 300,000 deaths are attributable to poor diet and inactivity. See Also Side Effects of Modern Medical Treatment for Overweight. The content in these information pages is provided by the Maharishi Vedic Health Center .