Obesity Presenting Symptoms and Warning Signs

Obese people exhibit certain symptoms, which occur naturally as a result of obesity. The following are the noticeable ones that are commonly seen in fat people and which can affect their activities in daily life.

Then there are certain warning signs that tell you of underlying health conditions that can be triggered by obesity and some of which are serious. You should know that the American Medical Association classifies obesity as a disease that should be treated after being diagnosed.

You could become obese not just from constantly eating more fat-building foods. There are various reasons why you become obese and they could be medical. genetic or lifestyle causes. That is why it is said that obesity is not just a condition but a disease and the management is supportive and medical and lies in treating the cause and any associated conditions.

Obesity symptoms in adults

The symptoms of obesity are not just limited to excess body fat. Obese people may exhibit skin manifestations, shortness of breath, difficulty sleeping, and a lot more.

Some symptoms may increase the risk of developing obesity complications, which can be life-threatening or even fatal.

• BMI of 30kg/m² or greater
• An extra large horizontal body frame
• An unhealthy body fat distribution more around the waist
• Compulsive overeating or binge eating disorder. The most common type of food that obese people turn to is “junk food,” or food that is stocked with empty calories, carbohydrates, fat, and sugar
• Lethargy or laziness
• Obese people feel breathless even after little physical activity. This is because the extra weight in the chest and abdomen puts an additional load on the breathing muscles and tires them.
• The face has fat cheeks and a double chin making it disproportionate but not necessarily ugly.
• Obese people experience difficulty in doing daily activities such as bending or carrying things or getting up from a sitting position or sleeping position. Sudden physical activity is difficult.
• Women have sagging breasts and even males exhibit sagging fatty deposits in the breast area.
• Irregular periods in women
• Big belly and big abdominal girth.
• Flabby fat deposits in the arms and thighs.
• Early puberty.
• Male genitalia appear small as compared to its size due to surrounding fat.
• Erectile dysfunction
• A feeling of being tired almost every day.
• Increased sweating.
• Snoring during sleep due to sleep apnea.
• Difficulty going to sleep (insomnia).
• Back pain and joint pains.
• Difficulty in maintaining personal hygiene.
• Obese people may exhibit certain psychological symptoms such as poor esteem of self, low confidence levels, and limited friends and social life.

Warning signs

Obese people have a higher risk of certain health disorders such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease, and more.

If present, besides the obesity symptoms, certain warning signs and symptoms of these medical conditions may also present themselves.

These are the signs that warn you of an impending complication due to obesity.

• Shortness of breath could be a sign of a heart problem
• Aching knee – a sign of osteoarthritis
• Headache or giddiness – a sign of high blood pressure
• Backache – a sign of developing back problems such as spondylolysis or spinal stenosis
• Psychological symptoms indicative of depression
• Heartburn and acid reflux could be a sign of GERD
• Snoring could indicate sleep apnea

Morbid obesity symptoms

Morbid obesity is obesity of a higher grade with a BMI of 35 kg/m² or more or 100 pounds overweight. It is also called extreme obesity or class III obesity.

People who are morbidly obese have a higher chance of developing complications and are very likely of exhibiting symptoms of those health conditions.

Morbidly obese people find it difficult to do everyday activities such as walking and become breathless even with little activity.

Symptoms include:

• Excess fat build-up
• Shortness of breath on little activity
• Difficulty in walking
• Joint pain especially in the knee
• Erectile dysfunction
• Feeling of fatigue
• Other symptoms of obesity described above but of a more severe degree

Common symptoms of childhood obesity 

According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood obesity in the U.S. has tripled in the last 50 years. In 2020, about 20% of American children and adolescents, between the ages of 2 to 19 years were obese.

Common childhood obesity symptoms may include:

• Fatty tissue deposits over the body
• Stretch marks on the hips and back
• Shortness of breath with little physical activity
• Sleep apnea
• Constipation
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Low self-esteem
• Early onset of puberty in females while in males puberty is delayed
• Orthopedic problems, such as flat feet