TURNS out all fat isn’t created equal – there are two types of obesity and one is a whole lot more dangerous than the other.
But how are you meant to know if you’re at risk of the deadly kind? The good news, there are some subtle, but telling signs – and here we reveal the symptoms that put you in the danger zone.
Startling studies suggest that is responsible for around 31,000 deaths every year in Britain.
Plus, it costs the NHS a staggering £6.5billion annually, and that figure is set to rise to £10billion by 2050.
We used to think of as simply being fat or overweight (and crucially, having a above 30).
But new research says there are in fact two types.
“Pre-clinical obesity”;; is where someone’s excess weight is not yet impacting their health, while “clinical obesity”;; is when someone’s weight is a health problem.
The new definitions are set to move away from the traditional , where anything over 25 is considered overweight and 30-plus is obese and overall health and body fat percentage aren’t taken into account.
It could mean many of us are off the hook – at least for now.
Dr Thuva Amuthan, GP and dermatologist, tells Sun Health: “The new guidelines offer a more practical way to define obesity by shifting the focus from BMI alone to how weight is affecting day-to-day life and long-term health.
“BMI can still be a useful tool to screen for risk, but it doesn’t distinguish between muscle and fat or account for where that fat is distributed.
“Two people can have the same BMI but very different risks.
“A person with excess weight and no health complications may be considered ‘pre-clinically obese’, whereas someone whose weight is directly causing joint pain or breathlessness or many other symptoms we associate with obesity may fall into the ‘clinical’ obesity group.”;;
It provides further evidence that you really can be “fat and fit”;;.
If the NHS were to adopt these guidelines, it could only diagnose someone as clinically obese with a full measurement from a doctor.
However, Dr Amuthan says there are some clear obesity danger zone warning signs which shouldn’t be ignored...
1. YOU’VE GOT SORE KNEES
ONE of the biggest definers of being clinically obese is when your weight impacts your day-to-day activities.
Persistent – such as or – that stops you from walking, working or doing housework would make you clinically obese.
Dr Amuthan says: “Knee pain that limits walking or daily activity is a clear sign your weight may be affecting your mobility.
“Every extra stone of body weight can add around four times that pressure across the knee joint.
“Over time, this can wear down cartilage and contribute to osteoarthritis, which often tips someone into a clinical obesity diagnosis based on functional impact.”;;
2. YOU’RE ALWAYS HUFFING AND PUFFING
IF you’re short of breath after even mild activity, be warned.
This is one of the factors doctors look at when defining pre-clinical and clinical obesity as it’s a sign your weight is placing strain on your cardiovascular system.
Dr Amuthan says: “If you’re getting out of breath doing simple things like walking up the stairs or carrying shopping, it might be a sign your weight is affecting your lung and heart function.
“The heart has to work harder to supply more oxygen to carry the excess weight.
“It’s a common early symptom as people move from pre-clinical to clinical obesity.”;;
3. YOUR BACK HURTS ALL THE TIME
EXTRA weight, especially around the abdomen, strains the spine and affects .
People often compensate for that by changing the way they stand or move.
But over time this can cause mechanical issues which result in .
So if you have this, it could be caused – in part if not entirely – by excess weight.
Dr Amuthan says: “Excess weight, especially carried around the midsection, shifts your centre of gravity and puts strain on the spine.
“Over time this can lead to persistent lower back pain or even sciatica.
“This can increase the wear and tear of your back over time and contribute to a clinical obesity diagnosis.”;;
4. YOU’RE A SNORER
UNDER the new Lancet guidelines, having – a condition that causes and stops you breathing in the night – and being overweight are both symptoms of being clinically obese.
Dr Amuthan says: “Snoring most nights, especially if it’s loud and persistent, could be a sign of obstructive sleep apnoea – a condition linked to excess weight around the neck and upper airway.
“This often starts in the pre-clinical phase, where the airway is partially blocked during sleep.
“If left untreated though, it can progress to sleep apnoea and potentially clinical obesity.
“Even a modest weight loss of 10 to 15 per cent can make a big difference in reducing symptoms and taking you out of the danger zone of clinical obesity.”;;
5. YOU HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
HYPERTENSION, the medical term for , is a symptom of preclinical and clinical obesity in both the new and older obesity guidelines.
Almost all and lots of pharmacies have blood pressure measuring devices for members of the public to use for free.
Dr Amuthan says: “Obesity contributes to high blood pressure by making the heart work harder to pump blood.
“You may not feel unwell, but high blood pressure is a silent risk factor that increases your chances of heart attack or stroke.
“It’s also one of the markers that can signal a transition from pre-clinical to clinical obesity.”;;
6. YOU’VE GOT PERSISTENT HEARTBURN OR ACID REFLUX
BOTH and contribute to a pre-clinical or clinical obesity diagnosis.
Extra weight, especially abdominal fat, puts pressure on the stomach, causing acid to rise.
Dr Amuthan says: “Carrying extra weight increases pressure inside the abdomen, especially when lying down or after meals.
“This pressure can cause stomach acid to leak into the oesophagus, triggering reflux and heartburn.
“These symptoms are common in people with obesity and tend to improve significantly with weight loss.
“If they get worse though, they could indicate part of the diagnosis for clinical obesity.”;;
7. YOU HAVE DARK ARMPITS
DARK, velvety patches – medically called – are skin folds or areas which darken over time.
They frequently occur in obese patients and are often seen alongside other symptoms on the list.
Dr Amuthan says: “Dark, velvety skin patches – especially on the neck or underarms – are a skin sign doctors and clinicians associate with insulin resistance, which is common in people with obesity.
“It can be an early clue that the body is struggling to manage blood sugar and left untreated, could lead to clinical obesity.”;;
8. YOU’RE ALWAYS SWEATY
THE NHS website has sweating as an obesity related health problem and anyone who’s been pre-clinical or clinically obese knows how difficult excess sweating – known as – is for patients with weight issues.
Dr Amuthan says: “People with obesity often report feeling too hot or sweating more than others, even with mild activity.
“This happens because the body has to work harder to regulate temperature and move around.
“Sweating tends to reduce significantly when weight is lost so it can be used as a diagnostic tool for clinical and pre-clinical obesity diagnosis.”;;
9. YOU HAVE IRREGULAR PERIODS OR FERTILITY ISSUES
OBESE women are urged by the British Fertility Society to lower their BMI before embarking on assisted reproductive technologies like IVF.
But issues connected to obesity affect both genders.
Studies show obese men have reduced sperm concentration and less motility – which means they don’t swim as well.
In women, obesity affects egg development, fertilisation and embryo development, which is why obese women are often monitored more during their .
Dr Amuthan says: “Excess body fat can disrupt the balance of hormones that control the menstrual cycle and ovulation. In women, this may cause irregular periods.
“These effects can improve with modest weight loss.”;;
10. YOU’VE BEEN ON A DIET FOR YEARS
EVERYBODY is different, and some of us find it easier to lose weight than others.
But if you’ve been for years and you can’t seem to slim down, you could be in the obesity danger zone.
Dr Amuthan says: “When someone has carried excess weight for more than a decade, we start to see it show up as metabolic complications — like insulin resistance, raised cholesterol or joint degeneration.
“At that point, even if a person feels they’ve ‘gotten used’ to their weight, their body often hasn’t.”;;
11. YOU’RE BIG AROUND THE MIDDLE
CALCULATING your waist-to-height ratio can help you understand if you’re carrying too much fat around your tummy.
According to the NHS, your waistline should be no bigger than half your height.
Research shows that carrying excess weight around the middle of the body, or being apple shaped, can more than double your risk of cardiovascular disease, regardless of your actual weight or BMI.
Experts say it leads to fatty materials building up in your arteries which, if left untreated, can result in and .
In fact, being obese can increase the risk of heart disease by around 12 per cent and stroke by as much as 24 per cent.
People with obesity are up to seven times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.Losing even a small amount of weight can dramatically reduce your risk
Dr Thuva AmuthanGP
Dr Amuthan says: “Obesity increases your risk of developing high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, and insulin resistance – all of which raise the risk of heart attack or stroke.
“The longer these factors go untreated, the more damage they can do to blood vessels.
“But the good news is that weight loss, even just five to 10 per cent, reduces those risks almost immediately and could move you out of a clinical obesity diagnosis.”;;
12. YOU’RE DIABETIC
BEING obese means you’re seven times more likely to get diabetes than someone who is a healthy weight.
But the link can work the other way, with diabetic patients at risk of clinical obesity.
Patients often struggle with weight gain due to , plus a sedentary lifestyle.
Dr Amuthan says: “Obesity is the biggest risk factor for type 2 diabetes.
“It causes insulin resistance – meaning the body can’t process sugar properly.
“People with obesity are up to seven times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
“Losing even a small amount of weight can dramatically reduce your risk.”;;
