Can Obesity Cause Shortness of Breath?

Obese people often suffer from respiratory problems—some complain that they can’t even breathe after eating. Shortness of breath from being overweight results mostly from the compression of the diaphragm, lungs, and chest cavity.

If you'd like to learn more about this problem and how it can be treated, continue reading.

How Obesity Causes Shortness of Breath

The excess fat in your abdomen, chest, and neck adds pressure on your respiratory system, making it quite difficult to breathe. There may also be increased production of hormones that impact the body’s breathing patterns (1).

Diaphragm motion is found to be significantly reduced in obese study subjects. Obesity can cause the diaphragm to become fatty and fibrotic (2).

Pickwickian syndrome, otherwise known as obesity hypoventilation syndrome, is a breathing disorder found in some obese people. Having too little oxygen and too much carbon dioxide in their blood causes hypoventilation—breathing that is too shallow to meet the required oxygen demand.

Common symptoms of obesity hypoventilation syndrome include:

• Breathlessness
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Trouble breathing at night
• Choking or gasping at night
• Snoring loudly
• Feeling sleepy during daytime

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome can lead to life-threatening health issues if not treated properly. Many people with obesity hypoventilation syndrome also suffer from sleep apnea.

How Can You Treat Breathing Issues Caused by Obesity?

The most effective way of helping breathing issues caused by obesity is to lose weight.

Once diagnosed with obesity hypoventilation syndrome, the following methods can help you ease the symptoms:

• Reduce weight Maintaining a healthy weight is essential to reducing hypoventilation. There are plenty of easy at-home exercises to fight against obesity. Increasing physical activity on a daily basis is no easy task, but you can start with walks and then slowly increase to a consistent running routine.
• Breathing devices You may need breathing devices such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. This helps keep your airways open while you sleep, increasing blood oxygen levels.
• Surgery In extreme cases, weight-loss surgery or medicines may be recommended by your doctor.

Medical Disclaimer

The information provided by DarioHealth Corp. programs is general in nature and is not meant to replace the advice or care you get from your doctor or other health care professional.

Resources

1. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/obesity-hypoventilation-syndrome
2. https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/body-work/why-does-obesity-lead-to-respiratory-dysfunction
   

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