Health Corner

Depression and anxiety can significantly affect eating habits and lifestyle patterns, often leading to noticeable weight gain and creating a vicious cycle between mood and body weight. Why Do Emotional Disorders Often Lead to Weight Gain? Emotional eating: During low moods, people tend to crave sweet, oily, or snack foods for temporary comfort. Impaired appetite regulation: The brain’s response to hunger and fullness weakens, making overeating more likely. Reduced activity: Low motivation and fatigue lead to less movement, exercise, and daily activity. Sleep...

What Is Hypothyroidism? Hypothyroidism (often called “underactive thyroid”) means the thyroid gland in the front of the neck produces insufficient thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones regulate how the body uses energy—they act like the body’s “accelerator pedal.” When levels are too low, metabolism slows down. The condition is more common in adult women, but it can affect people of any age or gender. Why Does Hypothyroidism Lead to Weight Gain? Slower metabolism: The body burns calories more slowly. Even if you eat and exercise the...

Why Is Obesity Linked to Cancer? Obesity doesn’t just affect the heart and joints—it also raises the risk of several types of cancer. Studies show that maintaining a healthy weight could help prevent up to 40% of cancers worldwide. How Does Obesity Gradually Increase Cancer Risk? Harmful substances from fat: Abdominal and visceral fat produce excess estrogen, which can stimulate abnormal growth in breast and uterine cells. Chronic inflammation: Fat tissue releases inflammatory substances that cause long-term low-grade inflammation throughout the body, damaging DNA...

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is closely linked with obesity, yet many people are unaware of how serious this condition can be. Why Does Obesity Increase the Risk of Sleep Apnea? Obese individuals—especially those with excess fat around the neck, chin, and abdomen—are more likely to experience airway compression during sleep. This narrowing or temporary “collapse” of the upper airway leads to breathing interruptions.When airflow becomes restricted, breathing repeatedly stops and starts throughout the night, a condition known as obstructive sleep apnea.Studies show...

Why Does Obesity Increase the Risk of Osteoarthritis? Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease involving the breakdown of cartilage. Obese individuals have up to a fourfold higher risk of developing it, especially in weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips. How Does Obesity Gradually Damage the Joints? Excessive mechanical stress: Every additional kilogram of body weight increases the load on the knees by four times, similar to constantly walking while carrying a heavy backpack. Cartilage wear and tear: Continuous pressure makes the joint cartilage thinner and...