Educational Content: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.
Definition of Obesity-related disease
Medically reviewed by Dr. Otari Nergadze, Neurosurgeon | Updated: January 2026
Obesity-related disease: Any disease for which obesity is a significant risk factor. Obesity increases the risk of developing a very large number of diseases, including:
- Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Stroke (cerebrovascular accident or CVA)
- Heart attack (myocardial infarction or MI)
- Heart failure (congestive heart failure)
- Cancer (certain forms such as cancer of the prostate and cancer of the colon and rectum)
- Gallstones and gall bladder disease (cholecystitis)
- Gout and gouty arthritis
- Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) of the knees, hips, and the lower back
- Sleep apnea (failure to breath normally during sleep, lowering blood oxygen)
- Pickwickian syndrome (obesity, red face, underventilation, and drowsiness).