Top 6 Health Issues Faced by Skinny People

While there has been a lot of talk about the health issues faced by obese people, we often forget that even being too thin or skinny has its own disadvantages. Skinny people too are at a risk of suffering from several health conditions.

Being underweight can make people more susceptible to certain diseases and illnesses whose risk may be low for those who are at an adequate weight level. The following is a list of the top 6 health issues faced by people who are too skinny:

health issues faced by skinny people

1. Diabetes

Those who are underweight or too skinny are always at a high risk of suffering from diabetes.  It is often thought that obese people usually have diabetes but it is also the other way round.  What happens is that skinny people take the liberty of skipping the gym, are casual about what they eat and don’t take their health too seriously and this can lead to high blood sugar levels and hence diabetes.

2. Heart Diseases

Due to the casualness regarding health, skinny people also tend to have high cholesterol levels. This is also due to over indulgence in fast foods. This can further pose a risk of heart diseases in them.  Those who are genetically lean have lean genes which work by placing fat very deep within the body and this fat can be placed close to the heart or liver.

3. Lowered Immunity

Skinny people are also at an increased risk of lower immunity. This means that underweight people are at a high risk of suffering from cold, flu, cough and other such common infections.  They may also be more at a risk of serious conditions like cancer, which results due to abnormal cell activity.

4. Anemia

Those who are underweight are also at more of a risk of being anemic.  They may find themselves tired all the time and may feel lack of energy and fatigue and this could be because of anemia. This is a disease in which there is a deficiency in the red blood cells and may be caused due to lack of iron, vitamin B12 and folate.

5. Fertility Problems

Skinny females can also have improper reproductive cycle and this may create problems when they try to conceive.  This can also lead to issues in maintaining pregnancy and can pose a risk of miscarriage as well. Infact, even skinny men are more at a risk of persistent sexual dysfunction like erectile dysfunction, inability to ejaculate and painful intercourse.

6. Osteoporosis and Broken Bones

One of the most serious problems which skinny people are likely to face is the high risk of bone issues like broken bones and osteoporosis.  Our body fat performs the task of producing estrogen and this hormone is needed for proper bone growth in both men and women.  Thus those who have less body fat may not have enough estrogen and may hence be at an increased risk of osteoporosis as well as broken bones.