Waistline Fat Essay

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Researchers and health care professionals often use a calculation called the Body Mass Index (BMI) to determine whether or not someone is at a healthy weight. Recent studies suggest that waist circumference is actually a better determination of health risk than BMI, and that more emphasis should be paid to waist in classifying obesity. Waistline fat poses far more health dangers than does fat stored elsewhere. Men who have waists larger than 40 inches and women who have waists larger than 35 inches have excess waistline fat and are considered obese.

Excess fat in the abdomen is considered a major risk factor for ailments associated with obesity such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome. A person with metabolic syndrome has out of range values …show more content…

These deep deposits are associated with higher levels of insulin. When fat cells enlarge, they produce more of some immune system proteins. These proteins are transported directly to the liver, where they release inflammatory substances that raise the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and possibly cancer. In addition, fat cells release blood-clotting factors that can affect blood vessels and put the body in a state that favors clots. This is why the risk of heart attack and stroke rises.

People can possibly inherit a susceptibility for storing fat on the waist, but larger waists are most often related to lifestyle choices such as high-fat diets and sedentary behavior. Regular exercise and a balanced diet are the best methods to control waistline fat and help prevent metabolic syndrome. In some cases, doctor prescribed medications can be taken to improve insulin abnormalities.

An important thing to remember is that the heavier you are, the higher your risk of heart disease. Excess weight often means higher-than-normal levels of both cholesterol and triglycerides, indications of how much fat may be also floating around in your blood. The higher the level of fat in your blood, the greater your risk of developing a clot significant enough to block blood flow to your

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