FROM A WOMAN’S VIEWPOINT EXCESS WEIGHT AND HEALTH: RISKY BUSINESS

While women and men share health risks for certain diseases, a few weight-related health problems are unique to women. Losing weight appears to be one of the key ways for women to beat the health-risk odds and overcome those problems. For example, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that can interfere with a woman’s ability to conceive, and it’s been linked to obesity. Since studies have shown that losing weight can improve fertility rates, medical experts recommend weight loss as the first line of treatment for PCOS. In addition, obesity is a risk factor for gestational diabetes. Studies have found that even a modest weight loss of 10 pounds can significantly reduce a women’s risk of developing gestational diabetes. Obesity and adult weight gain are also well-established risk factors for post-menopausal breast cancer. In an analysis of a large group of women in Iowa, researchers concluded that preventing weight gain during the childbearing years or, in the case of overweight women, the combination of losing weight and maintaining a healthy body weight during those years, reduces the risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer later in life.