Do Obese People Live Shorter Lives On Average?

None Of Us Want To Live Shorter Lives

From a young age, most of us are told that it’s important to eat healthy and maintain a healthy weight that’s in proportion to our height.  None of us want to live shorter lives and eating healthier can help you to live longer.

We all sometimes go a bit overboard with our eating. Everybody is guilty of eating too much at one point or another. Sometimes we go to a party or a BBQ and end up eating way too much. Indulging every once in a while isn’t bad for you, but regular overeating can shorten your lifespan significantly.

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Why Do Obese People Live Shorter Lives?

According to statistics, obese people live shorter lives than those who are a healthy weight. Of course, this doesn’t mean that maintaining a healthy weight will prevent all health issues during your lifetime. But being obese can definitely contribute to a person’s life ending prematurely.

Carrying excess weight on our bodies can come with several health problems in the long run. You are considered obese if your BMI (body mass index) is 30 or above. You can calculate your own BMI by dividing your weight (kg) by your height (m) and then by your height again. Or simply use on this online tool to help you.

What Causes Earlier Death?

Obesity itself doesn’t cause people to live shorter lives, but rather the risks that come with being obese. There are many health issues which are much more likely to occur in people carrying extra weight, and in turn, this creates a statistic whereby people in the higher BMI categories die sooner than those in the healthy range of the body mass index.

Heart Problems

Heart disease is common in older people who are obese, since internal fat gets in the way of the heart operating properly. Obese people tend eat unhealthy food. Unhealthy food leads to an increase in LDL cholesterol, which is the kind of cholesterol that you want to avoid. Fatty substances build up inside and around the arteries, which leads to them becoming clogged up and causing things like chest pains, heart attacks and strokes.

High Blood Pressure

Obesity leads to higher blood pressure. While high blood pressure is a very common thing which we seem to hear about often, it can cause severe health problems if it’s not under control. Higher blood pressure makes it harder for your body to circulate blood. It also puts more strain on your heart. This can lead to strokes, which can cause a person to die immediately or within weeks of the stroke occurring. High blood pressure can also damage and burst blood vessels, causes bleeds and leaks within the body.

Breathing Problems

Obesity can create sleep apnea and other breathing issues such as asthma, which can become more severe if left untreated or as a person gets older.

Cancer 

Another issue with obesity is that it drastically increases a person’s risk of developing cancer. Both obese men and women are at a greater risk of developing cancer, but obese women are the most vulnerable to developing cancer.

Diabetes

People who overeat are at risk of developing type-2 diabetes. Diabetes can be controlled with insulin, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t take years off your life. Diabetes can result in your immune system being weakened, which opens the way for various infections and diseases. Likewise, diabetes can cause various issues with the cardiovascular system. Also, diabetes can result in serious damage being done to the kidneys.

What Can Your Do To Help You Live Longer?

As you can see, obesity itself may not be the cause of premature death, but it will absolutely take a huge toll on your body and it will result in many years being taken off of your life. By following healthy lifestyle, diet and exercise choices, you can live well into your 80s and beyond.

Download my free report, 9 Healthy Things To Help You Live Longer and discover how the choices you make about your lifestyle don’t mean that you and your loved ones have to live shorter lives.