Associated (Comorbid) Diseases ...

Serious obesity can bring with it an assortment of serious associated illnesses. In general, the more severe the obesity is, the more likely that other illnesses can occur. Here are the most common diseases that are often associated with morbid obesity. In some cases, these disease can have other causes, as well:

Heart and Blood Vessels

  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Hypertrophy (thickening of heart muscle from excessive work)
  • Coronary artery disease (hardening of arteries leading to heart attack)
  • Congestive heart failure (excessive strain "wears out" the heart)
  • Atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat)
  • Deep venous thrombosis (blood clot in legs)
  • Pulmonary embolus (blood clot in lungs)

    • Lungs
  • Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (low oxygen level from shallow breathing), also referred to as "Pickwickian Syndrome" named after a morbidly obese character, Pickwick, in a Charles Dickens novel
  • Obstructive sleep apnea (stopping breathing while sleeping)
  • Asthma

    • Gut, Liver, and Pancreas
  • Gastroesophageal reflux (heartburn)
  • Gallbladder disease (gallstones)
  • Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (fatty change and inflammation of liver)
  • Cirrhosis of the liver
  • Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
  • Diarrhea
  • Possibly some types of irritable bowel syndrome

    • Endocrine System, Metabolism, and Infection
  • Type II diabetes (high blood sugar due to body's resistance to insulin)
  • Hyperlipidemia (high blood fats -- cholesterol and triglycerides)
  • Gout (periodic severe pain in joints, especially great toes)
  • Testosterone deficiency
  • Acanthosis nigricans (darkening of skin at neck and armpits)
  • Intertriginous dermatitis (skin infections in folds of skin)

    • Gynecologic (Women's Issues)
  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome (related to insulin resistance)
  • Urinary stress incontinence (leakage of urine with coughing or sneezing)
  • Infertility (failure to achieve pregnancy)
  • Miscarriage (pregnancy loss)
  • Higher risk of pregnancy complications
  • Irregular or excessively heavy periods
  • Amenorrhea (no menstrual periods) -- sometimes mistaken for "early menopause"

    • Bones, Joints, and Soft Tissues
  • Osteoarthritis ("wear and tear" changes of bones)
  • Multiple joint pains
  • Fibromyalgia (diffuse pain of soft tissues)
  • Degenerative disk disease (wear and tear of spacers between spine bones)

    • Brain
  • Depression
  • Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (high fluid pressure in brain; can cause blindness)
  • Chronic headaches or migraines

    • Increased risk of cancers of:
  • Uterus
  • Breast
  • Colon and rectum
  • Kidney
  • Prostate
  • Gallbladder



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