Table 2.

Health consequences of obesity

Greatly increased risk (relative risk >3)

• Diabetes

• Hypertension

• Dyslipidaemia

• Breathlessness

• Sleep apnoea

• Gall bladder disease

Moderately increased risk (relative risk about 2-3)

• Coronary heart disease or heart failure

• Osteoarthritis (knees)

• Hyperuricaemia and gout

• Complications of pregnancy—for example, pre-eclampsia

Increased risk (relative risk about 1-2)

• Cancer (many cancers in men and women)

• Impaired fertility/polycystic ovary syndrome

• Low back pain

• Increased risk during anaesthesia

• Fetal defects arising from maternal obesity