A new study has found that obesity significantly increases the risk of developing 61 life-limiting diseases, playing a role in about 86 percent of long-term health problems.
The largest study of its kind to date, conducted by the University of Exeter, shows that excess weight is the "main driving force" behind many co-occurring and potentially life-threatening diseases, such as chronic kidney disease, osteoarthritis and type 2 diabetes.
The researchers analyzed 71 combinations of diseases that commonly occur together, using genetic and health data from thousands of participants in previous studies. They found that obesity – defined as a body mass index (BMI) over 30 – contributed to 61 of these 71 combinations.
According to the results, for every 1,000 people with chronic kidney disease and osteoarthritis, reducing BMI by 4.5 points could prevent about 17 cases of both diseases. The same weight loss could also prevent about 9 cases per 1,000 people of type 2 diabetes combined with osteoarthritis.
The study also showed that obesity explained all of the genetic overlap in ten disease pairs, suggesting that excess weight is the main reason why they occur together. These pairs include: chronic kidney disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), gout and sleep apnea, and kidney disease with type 2 diabetes.
Professor Jack Bowden, who led the study, said it had long been known that certain diseases often co-occur and that obesity increases the risk of many of them. “This is the first large-scale study to use genetics to measure the role of obesity in the development of diseases in the same individual,” he said, adding that the findings will help doctors give more targeted advice to patients.
The researchers also identified cases where obesity was not the main cause and are investigating other possible factors. The findings, published in the journal Communications Medicine, reinforce calls for addressing obesity through public health programs, as this could significantly reduce the risk of developing several chronic diseases.
In the UK, obesity is estimated to cost the economy around £100 billion a year, including around £19 billion in costs to the NHS. At least nine million people currently live with two or more long-term conditions, some of which could be prevented through weight management.
However, the study has limitations: the data came mainly from the Northern European population and did not take into account lifestyle factors, which are known to influence obesity.
Experts also warn of the increasing risk of cardiovascular-renal-metabolic syndrome (CRM), which links heart disease, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. When these diseases occur together, they significantly accelerate damage to the heart, blood vessels, and kidneys. It is estimated that millions more adults could develop this syndrome in the coming years if preventive measures are not taken. /GazetaExpress/
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