Discuss the physiological consequences of obesity in the following areas: type 2 diabetes, hepatobiliary disorders, cancer, reproductive disorders

Answer 1

Type 2 diabetes is three times as prevalent among the obese as compared with normal-weight persons. Excess body fat, especially if located within the abdominal region, elevates fasting and post-prandial levels of plasma free fatty acids and is a major risk factor for metabolic syndrome. The risk of gallstones increases with adult weight. Central or abdominal obesity is a major risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Although generally asymptomatic, NAFLD can range from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and eventual liver failure. Studies have confirmed that obesity is a significant risk factor for death from cancer generally and from cancer in several specific sites. Obesity in males is associated with increased death from cancer of the esophagus, rectum, pancreas, liver, and prostate. In females, obesity increases risk of death from cancer of the gallbladder, bile duct, breast, endometrium, cervix, and ovaries. Obesity is associated with reproductive disorders in both sexes. In males, obesity is associated with gynecomastia, hypogonadism, reduced testosterone levels, and elevated estrogen levels. In females, it is associated with menstrual abnormalities and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).