Patients who are obese are at an increased risk for many health complications. When most people think about these complications, the most obvious conditions come to mind: heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure and cholesterol.
However, obesity has a negative impact on almost every aspect of the body’s functions, and obese men should make their urological care a priority. Through his many years of practice in Rancho Mirage and the Inland Empire, Dr. Pedram Ilbeigi has found that men who are obese are at an increased risk for the following urological conditions.
Obesity and Urology
Kidney Stones — Kidney stones are directly related to weight gain and poor dietary choices. Men, who are overweight, are much more likely to experience kidney stones than men who have a healthy body weight.
Kidney stones are an extremely painful condition, and patients who are too overweight will not be able to have the standard procedures performed in order to break up the stones. Patients who are obese are more likely to have to undergo invasive and risky procedures to eliminate the kidney stones in their body and feel comfortable once again. The stones most commonly found in overweight patients are uric acid stones.
Erectile Dysfunction — Many people consider erectile dysfunction to be a condition caused by aging, but there are other factors that also contribute to this condition. Obese patients are more likely to have less rigid and less durable erections during sexual experiences, causing their erectile dysfunction to be worse than a patient who maintains a healthy body weight.
Erections are the result of blood flow to the penis, and obese patients are more likely to have poor blood flow throughout their body. This means that they are not able to achieve and maintain erections as often as other patients who are not obese.
Prostate Cancer — Like any type of cancer, there are many factors that contribute to the growth and development of prostate cancer within the body. Genetic factors can contribute to the development of prostate cancer, but it is important to remember that environmental factors also can be a contributing factor to the development of prostate cancer.
Researchers have found a link between the Western diet, which consists of large portions and high-fat dishes, and the prevalence of this type of cancer. Obese patients are more likely to develop prostate cancer than others.
These urological conditions have been found to be prevalent in male patients who are considered to be obese. This is especially cause for concern considering the obesity rate in the United States continues to climb higher and higher. In the last 50 years, the obesity rate nearly tripled in the country.
With more people eating more processed foods and larger portions while at the same time adopting a more sedentary lifestyle, it’s not surprising that obesity is on the rise. It’s important to make preventative health care a priority, and to visit the urologist on a regular basis. For more information, contact Dr. Ilbeigi today.
