A weight gain of 5-6 kg increases a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes to twice that of individuals who have not gained weight, while those who gain 20 kg or more have 4 times the risk of type 2 diabetes.

High gains of 10 kg in men and 20 kg in women result in an increased coronary heart disease risk of 1.75 and 2.65 respectively.

In women with a BMI of 34 or greater, the risk of developing cancer of the cervix is increased by more than 6 times.