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If you are severely obese, with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or more or at least 100 pounds over "ideal weight," you are not alone. This is called morbid obesity and affects more and more people every year. Today, nine million adult Americans are considered morbidly obese.

There are many quality-of-life problems associated with being morbidly obese, but unfortunately what is of greater concern are the medical effects-or co-morbidities-of this condition. These serious health effects can shorten your life span or leave you severely disabled.

What Morbid Obesity Does to Your Health
Morbid obesity strains your body and your psyche. In fact, all of the biological systems that make the body function are negatively affected by morbid obesity. As obesity increases, so do the health risks or co-morbidities: the more obese a person is, the more likely that person will develop illnesses that reduce mobility and quality of life. At its worst, morbid obesity and its associated illnesses can lead to premature death. On the psychological front, morbid obesity has been shown to cause or worsen depression.

The most common co-morbidities for severely obese people are hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and type 2 diabetes. However, you can see that there are many co-morbidities of obesity. The good news is that many of these physical conditions improve after weight loss.

Co-Morbidities of Obesity