Maintaining A Healthy Weight Is Important

Maintaining a healthy weight helps you enjoy good health and feel better! Carrying too much or too little weight, relative to your height, puts you at risk for certain weight-related health conditions, including:

*  Heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure

*  Sleep apnea, asthma, and other breathing problems

*  Diabetes and complications from it

*  Gallbladder disease

*  Digestive and GI problems

*  Certain cancers

*  Gout

*  Poor mental health

*  Low sex drive

*  Low energy levels, making activity more difficult

*  Premature aging and death

*  Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other brain diseases

*  Osteoporosis or arthritis on weight-bearing joints, such as the knees and spine

Working toward a healthy weight can help you lower your risk for developing the problems listed above. If you already have a health condition, losing weight may help you manage it better or may reduce the need for some medication. Even a small amount of weight loss can improve your health. Losing 5% of your weight may lower your risk of developing heart disease.

Achieving a personal goal also helps you feel good about yourself. You may have more energy to enjoy your favorite activities.