Obesity can cause over 200 medical problems including heart failure, cancer

Experts say easiest way to lose weight is to eat less, stress need for physical activity

- Salma Khalik

Being obese can cause a wide array of medical problems - in fact, more than 200 of them - from stroke, heart attack and dementia to diabetes and kidney disease.

But the good news is that shedding those extra kilos can reduce the risks. The extent of the benefit varies with the amount of weight lost, said Dr Tham Kwang Wei, a senior endocrinologist at Woodlands Health.

Dr Tham, who is also president of the Singapore Association for the Study of Obesity, noted that an obese person who loses 10 per cent to 15 per cent of weight could see a significant improvement in health.

"As little as 3 per cent weight loss can result in improvement in diabetes control. However, for diabetes remission (or returning to a normal blood sugar level), typically a minimum of 15 per cent weight loss is required. It could possibly achieve normal blood sugar levels for diabetics," she said.

Excess fat results from food consumption exceeding energy expenditure.

The damage caused by excess fat occurs when the normal fat storage area - the subcutaneous tissue just under the skin - is full. The extra fat then spills over to places where it is not supposed to be.

That is like "continuing to fill petrol into your car after the fuel tank is full", said Professor Tai E Shyong, a senior endocrinologist at the National University Hospital.

"So it goes all over the place. It goes to places where it's not supposed to be stored, like the heart, kidney and liver."

The spillover fat, called visceral fat, sticks to the organs and even permeates them, impairing the functions of the organs.

While most healthy people have a little visceral fat, problems arise when it exceeds 10 per cent of total body fat.