Excess Body Fat Has Huge Consequences

There's no escaping the fact that the more body fat you have and the longer you carry it, the more you increase your risk of developing debilitating and, possibly, fatal diseases. Many of the diseases are very serious. Being obese or overweight is the second leading cause of preventable death in America today. It's a national epidemic!

Excess body fat has huge consequences to your health by increasing the risk of the following conditions and diseases:

Cardiovascular Diseases: High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Elevated Triglycerides (blood fats), Atherosclerosis/Coronary Artery Disease, Stroke, Angina,
Myocardial Infarction/Heart Attack

Metabolic Diseases: Elevated Blood Sugar, High Insulin Levels (Hyperinsulinemia), Insulin Resistance Syndrome (also called Syndrome X), Type 2 Diabetes, Gall Bladder Disease/Gallstones

Cancers: Breast Cancer, Uterine Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Colon Cancer, Prostate Cancer

Orthopedic Conditions and Diseases: Osteoarthritis of knees and hips, Lower Back Pain, Disc Degeneration in Lumbar Spine region, Foot and ankle pain

Other Conditions and Diseases: Sleep Apnea, Gout, Impaired mobility, stability and flexibility

One of the most common diseases is Insulin Resistance Syndrome (Syndrome X). Approximately 60-75 million Americans have Insulin Resistance Syndrome. Insulin Resistance Syndrome is a precursor to Coronary Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes.

When you have Insulin Resistance Syndrome, your insulin has difficulty shuttling glucose (blood sugar) into the glycogen (stored glucose) storage sites in your liver and muscles. When this happens, the pancreas secretes more insulin to help the process. The excess insulin in the bloodstream damages the arteries, eventually leading to Coronary Heart Disease and heart failure.

About 5-10% of people who have Insulin Resistance Syndrome eventually develop Type 2 Diabetes. This happens because the body becomes so insulin resistant that the pancreas cannot supply enough insulin to reduce the high levels of glucose in the blood stream.

Type 2 Diabetes is a degenerative disease because it causes further damage to the blood vessels. In some cases, this blood vessel damage results in blocked capillaries resulting in the amputation of parts of your arms and legs. And, of course, Type 2 Diabetes also increases the probability of Coronary Heart Disease.

Also, Type 2 Diabetes will cause similar problems in the blood vessels in the retinas in your eyes. If untreated by an ophthalmologist, then this blood vessel damage can lead to impaired vision or blindness. Most people that are being treated for this condition still experience impaired vision.

Excess belly fat in men and women increases the risk of cancer. Visceral fat around the stomach organs and subcutaneous fat over the abdominal muscles promotes an inflammatory response in the body which is believed to increase the risk of developing such cancers as: breast cancer, colon cancer, uterine and cervical cancer, and prostate cancer.

Being overweight or obese for long periods of time greatly deteriorates the hip and knee joints. Increased body fat levels and higher bodyweights contribute to the development of osteoarthritis - a degenerative disease of the joint. Eventually, hip and/or knee replacements become necessary if a person wants to be mobile and pain free.

Research done at the Robert Stempel School of Public Health at Florida International University found that hip replacements have increased 71% from 1997 to 2004 and knee replacements have increased 83% for the same time period. When you compare this data with the fact that adults have been getting increasingly heavier in the last several decades, it's no surprise.

Clearly, excess body fat ages and deteriorates your body at an accelerated rate. With excess body fat, you become "old before your time" and this eventually results in a greatly diminished quality of life. If you want to be active and healthy, then you must do everything possible to reduce the body fat or prevent any accumulation of body fat. If you don't, then you risk the dire consequences discussed above.

To lose body fat and reduce your risk of the diseases mentioned above, you must employ three key strategies: resistance training, cardio exercise and a sensible diet. These strategies are the foundation of a successful fat loss program. If you're overweight or obese - you don't have to be. There is a solution.