One of the most widespread risk factors that perturb the prevalence of respiratory impairment is extreme obesity. In general, obesity could be defined as a body condition where the fat percentage is abnormally high. Simultaneously, some cases where body mass index exceeds 40 refer to the extreme cases of obesity (Ball et al., 2019). According to the statistics collected from the poll of 2011-2012 among US citizens, approximately 8% of respondents aged 20 and above were suffering from such conditions (Fryar et al., 2018). Obesity can induce various issues with respiration, ranging from simple shortness of breath when exercising to the potentially fatal obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) (Buras et al., 2019). According to Buras et al. (2019), the pathogenesis of OHS is not entirely comprehended. Nevertheless, some theories suggest that lung expansion is obstructed by the exceeding amount of thoracic and visceral adipose tissues. Therefore, a person experiences difficulties breathing quickly enough and drawing enough air into the lungs.
However, the health effects of extreme obesity on respiration are not limited to these issues.
The study of Buras et al. (2019) found that as a result of the excess adipose tissue, a person’s diaphragm transforms, and the strength of chest muscles weakens. This condition is increasing the risk of obesity-related problems to occur. The research focused on observation of mice that were fed a high-fat diet which was compared to a control group with a regular diet. The findings revealed that mice on a fat-elevated diet experienced increasing fibro-adipogenic remodeling in their diaphragms. Further research is required to comprehend the effects of such a diet on the human body. In conclusion, extreme obesity is a dangerous condition that may pose as a threat to the life of a person leading to respiratory diseases and impairments.
References
Ball, J., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W. (2019). Seidel’s Guide to Physical Examination: An Interprofessional Approach. Elsevier.
Buras, E. D., Converso-Baran, K., Davis, C. S., Akama, T., Hikage, F., Michele, D. E., Brooks, S. V., & Chun, T.-H. (2018). Fibro-adipogenic remodeling of the diaphragm in obesity-associated respiratory dysfunction.Diabetes, 68(1), 45–56. Web.
Fryar, C. D., Carroll, M. D., & Ogden, C. L. (2018). Products – health e stats – prevalence of overweight, obesity, and extreme obesity among adults aged 20 and over: United States, 1960–1962 through 2013–2014. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web.