Orlando, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/22/2014 -- Overweight women have four times the endometrial cancer risk, probably for the same reason they’re at increased risk for breast cancer: Body fat produces estrogen, a hormone linked to both diseases, says a recent study at the University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Likewise, University of Minnesota researchers found that leptin, a hormone associated with weight gain, enhanced the proliferation of both normal and cancerous breast cells.

Obese people, particularly those with large bellies at midlife, are 260% more likely to develop dementia. And the bigger the belly the greater the risk, perhaps because of hormones or inflammatory factors produced by the abdominal fat itself. The more obese the more likely you are to suffer a heart attack earlier in life—12 years sooner for the most obese, a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology says. And overweight people are more likely to have diabetes and high cholesterol.

There’s an association between obesity and depression, according to a recent study of 4,600 women between the ages of 40 and 65. About 6.5 percent of the women who had a normal body mass index (BMI) were depressed, whereas the disorder afflicted more than 25 percent of those with BMIs higher than 35. In another study, researchers found a 25 percent increase in the risk of developing mood disorders among the obese. The stigma of being overweight plus limited physical activity could contribute to depression, researchers say.

At the Institute of Weight Management and Metabolic Medicine, Dr. Allison Haughton Green understands these risks. She was once overweight and diagnosed and at risk for many diseases. Now with her personal experience and expertise in metabolic medicine she assists her patients in not only losing the extra weight, but fighting diabetes, lowering cholesterol and with guidance and education teaching her patients how to avoid the many diseases associated with obesity.

Overweight people who suffer from diabetes are likely to pay more for their health care. The total spending on drugs for type 2 diabetes in the United States nearly doubled between 2008 and 2013. Obesity is the No. 1 risk factor for sleep apnea. Extra body fat in the chest and neck can restrict air passages, causing you to wake up frequently to help catch your breath.

Dr. Green’s mission is to achieve optimal health and well-being in every patient. Dr. Green’s office, Orlando Institute of Weight Management and Metabolic Medicine, is located in Orlando; 422 S. Alafaya Trail, Suite 24. Visit: www.orlandoweightlossmd.com or email: info@oi-wm.com or call 407-207-2306. Start your road to well-being today!