Obesity begins as a condition that may not feel like a disease. Yet when it advances into severe stages, it can bring serious health risks, including type 2 diabetes, sleep disorders, heart disease, infertility, and certain cancers. This perspective comes from Dr. Natalya Bordan, a bariatric surgeon and president of the Association of Obesity Surgeons, who spoke about these concerns to socialbites.ca.
She emphasizes that obesity at the second or third degree represents a chronic illness that affects nearly every body system. The impact is widespread, influencing energy balance, hormonal regulation, and metabolic stability in ways that heighten vulnerability to multiple illnesses. The relationship between excess weight and cancer is linked to the metabolic activity of fatty tissue. Fat cells do not simply store energy; they participate in hormonal signaling that can influence cancer risk.
In particular, adipose tissue can produce estrogen. When estrogen levels rise beyond the normal range, the likelihood of certain breast cancers can increase. Obesity also disrupts metabolism, leading to higher blood sugar and insulin resistance, factors that may promote the growth of some cancer cells. The surgeon noted that these metabolic shifts help explain why obesity correlates with elevated cancer risk across various sites.
People often wonder whether excess weight can be managed through lifestyle alone. While many individuals can reduce weight through careful diet and regular physical activity, extreme obesity is much harder to reverse without additional support. The goal is to reach a point where weight loss is achievable and sustainable, but for some, a combination of strategies is needed to help restore health and prevent complications.
Body mass index (BMI) remains a practical tool for assessing weight categories and guiding discussions about health risks. BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters, or by using a reliable online calculator. A BMI over 25 signals overweight status, while a BMI over 30 indicates obesity. While many individuals successfully lose weight through diet and exercise, data suggest that a large proportion—about nine out of ten people with obesity—may struggle to maintain weight loss over time, underscoring the challenge of obesity management through lifestyle changes alone.
According to Bordan, bariatric surgery stands out as a highly effective option for preventing associated diseases and reducing cancer risk linked to obesity. Such surgeries are performed with minimally invasive techniques, requiring only small incisions and resulting in shorter recovery periods. For patients, the benefits go beyond weight loss: many experience lasting improvements in metabolic health and a reduced need for medications related to obesity-associated conditions.
Postoperative outcomes often include substantial weight reduction, with many patients losing more than half of their excess body weight within a year to eighteen months. A significant portion continues to experience favorable results over several years, including durable improvements in type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. Recovery trajectories vary, but a meaningful proportion achieve long-term health gains that persist beyond the initial year after surgery.
These insights reflect a growing understanding that addressing obesity requires a comprehensive approach. Medical professionals advocate for a combination of lifestyle modification, medical management, and, when appropriate, surgical intervention. The overarching aim is clear: to lower the risk of obesity-related cancers and chronic diseases while improving overall quality of life for patients who face this condition.
In recent years, population health messaging has shifted toward early prevention and sustained weight management. Officials emphasize that responsible choices around diet and activity can have lasting benefits, but they also acknowledge that successful weight control often involves multidisciplinary care and individualized plans that respect each person’s health goals and circumstances.