The relationship between obesity and poor health is not usually a direct one, but there are a number of health concerns for the overweight that are potentially lethal.

Heart disease is perhaps the best known. Being overweight causes the heart to work much harder, which can lead the heart failure, cardiac death, angina or even strokes. There is much evidence to suggest that there is a very real link between a diet high in cholesterol and increased potential of heart disease. Overweight people are also much more likely to suffer high blood pressure.

There has also been shown to be a link between type 2 diabetes and weight problems. A detailed study has shown that 80% of people suffering with this form of diabetes are overweight or obese. This is believed to occur because the cells in an overweight person are less able to remove sugar from the blood, forcing the insulin-producing cells to work harder and eventually using them up all together.

Obesity, in some cases, can cause the fat cells to produce hormones affecting cell growth. This has been known to lead to certain types of cancer. These cancers can include that of the colon, esophagus and kidneys.

Other physical problems that can occur as a result of obesity include gout, gallstones, varicose veins, and many more. The potential psychological side-effects should, however, also be taken seriously. Negative reactions from others and a feeling of being unattractive can make people feel very low – which can, in turn, make them wish to eat more, thus exacerbating the problem. Or in cases where the weight gain has occurred as a result of a depressive episode, these negative reactions, feelings of unattractiveness and loss of energy can cause the individual to become more depressed and lead on to all manner of other psychological and physical problems.