How Obesity Impacts the Body

Dr. Rex Mahnensmith is an internal medicine physician with Stay Well Health Center in Waterbury, Connecticut. A graduate of the Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Rex Mahnensmith is familiar with common health conditions and their impact on the body, including obesity.

Obesity is a medical condition defined by a body mass index (BMI) that equates to more than 30 kilograms of body weight per square meter of height. A person with a BMI of between 25 and 30 kilograms, meanwhile, is considered overweight. An individual's BMI can be calculated by dividing his or her weight in pounds by height in inches squared, then multiplying that number by 703. Medical professionals believe a person’s optimal body weight should fall between 19 and 24 kilograms per square meter of height.

Any individual classified as obese is at risk for a wide range of health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and progressive atherosclerosis. Furthermore, obesity puts constant pressure on a person’s heart and lungs. Existing health conditions, such as coronary heart disease and various arthritic conditions, can be exacerbated by obesity. 

An obese individual who decreases their weight by just 10 percent will notice measurable health benefits. To learn more about the impact of obesity on the body and how to address the situation, individuals should reach out to an experienced physician.

How Sugar Can Affect Your Body

A professor emeritus at Yale University, Dr. Rex Mahnensmith has passionately cared for patients for over three decades. Dr. Rex Mahnensmith’s special interests include obesity, metabolism, preventive health, prediabetes, and diabetes. He has written numerous articles to help people better understand different medical conditions. 

In one article, Dr. Mahnensmith traces how sugar travels through the body and affects tissues. Sucrose, commonly known as sugar, is produced by plants. When ingested sucrose, a complex sugar, is broken down into two simple sugars - glucose and fructose. These two simple sugars are easily absorbed into the bloodstream. 

Glucose is the energy source for tissue cells. To facilitate its travel to the cells via the bloodstream, the pancreas releases an appropriate level of insulin, which also maintains the optimal level of glucose. There can be a condition when glucose remains in the bloodstream much longer than the ideal one to two hours. 

When this occurs, the highly reactive glucose molecules can interact with other reactive molecules in a process known as glycation. This can lead to irreversible changes in tissues that can ultimately cause diseases. Millions of people around that world who are prediabetic and diabetic experience this condition.