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The head-to-toe effects of being overweight – Metro US

The head-to-toe effects of being overweight

The head-to-toe effects of being overweight

How Being Overweight Affects Your Health

Being overweight or obese affects your health from head to toe.

You love the way you look in the mirror when you reach a healthy weight. It feels great to fit into your skinny jeans or slip into a smaller dress size, but the real magic happens on the inside. Here’s what goes on internally when you maintain a healthy weight.
Brain
People who maintain a healthy weight are less likely to experience depression or develop Alzheimer’s disease. 1
Heart
Losing 10 pounds over the course of six months can lessen your need for some medications, lower your blood pressure and lead to a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke. 2
Pancreas
Losing 7 percent of your excess body weight and exercising 30 minutes a day reduces your risk of developing diabetes by 60 percent. 1
Waist
Having a waist measurement of more than 35 inches for women and more than 40 inches for men has been linked to increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and premature death. 1
Knee
Each pound of weight you lose reduces the amount of pressure on the knee joint by four pounds. 3
Feet
Ditch the weight and save your feet. Those with weight-related diabetes are 15 times more likely to have a foot or leg amputated. 4
Overweight or obese? Click here to request a free consultation with a board-certified physician.
1 National Institutes of Health
2 Harvard Health
3 Arthritis Foundation
4 American Diabetes Association