Obesity can be Bad for Your Respiratory Health: Study

Obesity increases risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, finds a study.

Obesity and excess body fat elevates the chances of developing cardiovascular illnesses, stroke, cancer, hypertension and diabetes. Researchers at the University of Regensburg, Germany warn a tubby waist and too much body mass can lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD), a serious respiratory condition categorized by increased production of mucous, breathlessness and cough.

They used health records of 113,000 adults aged between 50 and 70 without pre-existing health conditions like heart diseases, cancer and respiratory tract infections. Almost a decade after the observation, nearly 3,600 participants dveloped COPD. Also, subjects with low body weight had 56 percent increased risk of COPD owing to poor muscle strength and limited lung capacity, repors the Health Day News.

The disease was mostly prevalent among men and women with a large waist measuring over 46 and 43 inches, respectively regardless of whether they smoked cigarettes or not. Obese individuals feel short of breath when involved in continuous physically strenuous activity. Restricted breathing and irregular flow of oxygen cause breathing difficulties that eventually lead to COPD.

"It is already known that COPD may be prevented by avoiding exposure to tobacco smoke, air pollution and occupational dust damaging the lungs. But maintaining a normal waist circumference and recommended levels of physical activity may also decrease the risk of COPD," said Gundula Behrens, study author and researcher at the department of epidemiology and preventive medicine at the University of Regensburg, reports the Health Day News.

 According the data by the American Lung Association, COPD is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. The current research advises people to quit smoking and incorporate healthy exercising habits to avert the risk  for COPD and other respiratory problems.

More information is available online in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.