Diseases Associated with Obesity

Type II Diabetes
The pancreas glands secretes insulin and binds to the receptors to allow glucose into cells. In type II diabetes, a person body cells are more resistant to insulin or the pancreas works harder and eventually is prone insulin fatigue resulting in low insulin production; thus, reducing the amount of glucose that enters the cells. The glucose that do not enter the cells build up in the blood stream, leaving high blood glucose levels.

Hypertension
There are many factors leading to hypertension: heredity, diet, smoking, lack of exercise, stress, excessive alcohol and salt. Arterioles allow blood to flow freely and exerts little pressure. When the vessels squeeze, it increases the pressure and when blood is moved throughout the arteries at high pressure, it can damage the walls.

Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a disease where arteries are clogged by plaque. If someone has hypertension, the artery walls can tear, enabling cholesterol and other debris to enter. The white blood cells or macrophages try to clean up but end up absorbing too much, becoming a cholesterol-filled foam. As time passes, it multiplies and form into a plaque.

Heart Attack
The process of Atherosclerosis forming combined with hypertension causes most problems of a heart attack. The plaque build up from behind artery walls burst, and leaks large clots into the blood stream. The clots flow downstream blocking an artery leading to the heart, resulting in a dead heart muscle.

Stroke
Strokes usually occur to people who have a history of high cholesterol or high blood pressure. One type of stroke that can occur is when blood flow is obstructed towards the brain, incapable of the brain of what they need, the lack of oxygen. Another type of stroke is when a blood vessel ruptures in the brain, clotting and adding pressure on the brain depending on where the cerebral area affected is. Ultimately, brain cells become damaged or die and also have a major impact on the body such as paralysis or memory problems.