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With the incidence of obesity rising in many nations, the question for any underwater enthusiast who carries a few extra kilos is what impact does it have on our diving experience and how does diving while obese affect our health.

We are born with fat, because as immobile bundles of joy we are not in control of regulating the temperature of our environment and we can’t feed ourselves. Fat is our ready source of energy and heat and as babies we store it with glee. The role of fat in the adult body is largely similar, although by now we’ve gained a measure of control over our environment so we need less of it.

Are there any advantages?

Surprisingly, yes. Fat, as any whale, dugong or seal could tell you, is a great insulator and thus keeps a diver warm. However, for us humans not living in the freezing waters of the world’s oceans, muscle insulates just as well in a resting state and generates heat in an active state so, kilo for kilo, muscle is better for you than fat. Next, fat people are strong. Underneath the flabby exterior there are muscles hard at work to move all that extra body weight. Also, the added pressure on the bones increases bone density, which means stronger bones. Of course, a few hours per week in the gym lifting weights would net you the same, but healthier, result. Lastly, and perhaps it’s not as much a benefit as much as it is a virtue of the sport, diving is excellent for heavy individuals, as there’s no impact on joints, plus the water supports excess weight, creating an illusion of light-footedness whilst underwater.

Unfortunately the disadvantages are many…

To the obese, diving could quickly turn into an exerting activity. To start with, fat is less dense than water, so the obese person is already more buoyant than the average diver. Add to that the larger required wet suit, which if it’s made of neoprene means even more buoyancy. For the suited up obese diver to achieve neutral buoyancy, a large amount of lead is required, which means a pretty heavy weight belt. Also keep in mind an ample girth equals more drag in the water, so more energy is required to move the same distance as non-obese divers. The increased weight and effort will translate into a higher requirement of air, so for a decent bottom time, a larger air tank will be required.

The fully kitted diver is now really heavy and bulky. Not only will it be difficult to get in and out of the water, but should the diver get into trouble, they will really get into trouble, because other divers will have difficulty assisting.

Then of course there’s the question of Decompression Sickness (DCS) and whether or not obese divers are at greater risk than others. When saturated, fat stores 5 times as much nitrogen as water, which seems alarming at first glance, but luckily fat suffers poor blood circulation (or not so lucky, it causes orange peel skin). Thus, on a run-of-the-mill dive not too much nitrogen will make it into the fat. However, if over several consecutive days multiple dives were undertaken, fatty tissue might well absorb enough nitrogen to increase the risk of DCS. This, however, is but a small slice of the obese diver’s risk pie. An obese diver is in fact more likely to suffer DCS due to the extra nitrogen they absorb as a result of working so much harder under water.

Overheating is also a real danger, as are the other things the disclaimer form warns us against, including increased risk of heart attack or stroke, higher likelihood of diabetes and its associated blood sugar issues, and frequent joint problems – all exaggerated by an overweight state and things that can turn a nice dive nasty.

All said, obesity isn’t healthy, whether you’re wet or dry. We know about the challenges and risks the obese face on land and it’s clear that underwater, life doesn’t get that much easier. An obese diver is likely to have a more strenuous and less enjoyable dive, quite in contrast to what many like about diving.

So eat healthy, stay active and let’s Dive The World!

Gavin Macaulay is Marketing Director of Dive The World which aims to help divers find the perfect scuba diving holiday in some of the world’s most exciting dive destinations. He offers opinions and advice on diving related topics based on his own experiences.

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