How does obesity affect respiratory health?
Obesity is becoming a global health issue that is becoming widespread even in countries beyond the US. Being obese raises a person's chances of developing heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. Lisa M. Cannon, M.D. explains why being overweight can affect a person's respiratory health. Image source: Pexels.com When a person carries extra weight and their BMI increases, the lung volume decreases. This causes limited air entry and a lower total lung capacity. Obese individuals can also experience shortness of breath even with minor physical activity. This condition is called exertional dyspnea. According to recent studies, obese and overweight individuals with COPD are more prone to experiencing the effects of the chronic condition leading to frequent hospitalization compared to others. Being obese also affects breathing during sleep. Lisa M. Cannon, M.D. says that those with the condition can also develop obstructive sleep apnea syndrome which causes