Obesity
Spider veins are a relatively common circulatory problem that affects about 20% of the population. They appear on the legs as small, thin red or blue lines, and they’re caused by damaged blood vessels that are under pressure. Obesity can cause spider veins and contribute to this problem in several ways.
One way is through the extra pounds of fat that the obese person has to carry around. The more you weigh, the harder your body has to work to move your blood through your vessels—you may have noticed that when you’re not feeling well and have an extra layer of flab around your tummy, it’s harder for you to walk upstairs than when you’re at your ideal weight. Excess weight also puts extra pressure on leg veins.
The other way obesity contributes to spider veins is through diabetes. Many people with diabetes don’t control their blood sugar levels, and as a result, their bodies produce sugar at higher levels than normal. Their bloodstream then becomes deficient in oxygen-carrying red blood cells (which carry oxygen from your lungs to all body parts), a condition called anemia.
