Psychological and social problems. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, if you are 40 percent overweight, you are twice as likely to die prematurely as an average-weight person. This effect is seen after 10 to 30 years of being obese. Doctors generally agree that the more obese a person is, the more likely he or she is to have health problems. Emotional aspects of obesity One of the most painful aspects of obesity may be the emotional suffering it causes.
People often equate attractiveness with thinness, especially in women.
This message, intended or not, makes many overweight people feel unattractive. Many people assume that obese people are gluttonous, lazy, or both. However, more and more evidence contradicts this assumption. Obese people may face prejudice or discrimination at work, at school, while job hunting, and in social situations. Feelings of rejection, shame, or depression are common.