Dangers of Belly Fat
Why is it so common to see overweight people these days. if you are still holding onto that cookie that i stopped you from eating. a typical chocolate chip cookie contains roughly around 11 grams of sugar for every 33 grams. this added sugar gets converted straight into body fat and there's your answer. you see so many overweight people around because of the unimaginable amounts of sugar that they are made to consume through processed food.
This added sugar is added into these foods to make them more addicting. so, it becomes difficult to stop eating them. another factor is a lack of activity due to our busy schedules. since most the jobs are computer-based. people spend their days just sitting around and thus facilitating the accumulation of fat. so should you be concerned with your extra bit of fat, well it depends on your BMI.
BMI stands for Body Mass Index and it is a measure
of our weight with respect to our height. the general formula of BMI is weight
in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. if you have never checked your
BMI before now is a perfect time to do so. if your BMI value is above 30 then you are very overweight or obese and
you're at a very high risk of many dangerous diseases like heart disease, kidney
disease, high blood pressure etc.
If this is the case then you should be concerned about your fat deposits even if your BMI is between 25 and 30 you are still considered overweight and could be on your way to obesity.
Here are the seven not so hidden dangers of excess belly fat which is also known as visceral fat that you should be aware of.
No 1. type 2 diabetes
Excess fat around the gut is also linked with
increased levels of blood sugar. according to the national institute of diabetes
and digestive and kidney diseases 8 out of 10 people with type 2 diabetes are
overweight excess fat overburdens our bodies and disrupts natural metabolic
function.
In other words that excess fat wants to stay there
for good and so disarms the fat burning mechanism of the body. the level
of blood sugar lays yet another trap for us in the form of insulin's ability to
stop us from feeling saturated. so, the next time you think your little extra belly
fat is harmless think again.
No 2. high blood pressure
It should not be a surprise that excess body fat causes
high blood pressure. our heavier friends out there are probably aware of this. the
excess fat makes our blood vessels constricted and our hearts congested thus it
disturbs the flow of blood through them.
This high blood pressure is dangerous as it can
lead to more serious complications like heart disease and stroke. speaking of
which let us look at the relation of heart diseases and stroke with the excess
visceral fat.
No 3. heart disease and stroke
High blood pressure is not the only reason that we
become more susceptible to heart disease and stroke. it should be kept in mind
that heart attack results from insufficient blood supply to the heart, which damages the heart tissue. so anything
that can disrupt flow is a potential cause of heart disease.
On the other hand a stroke occurs when the blood
supply to the brain is suddenly cut off. this can damage the brain tissue and
can cause paralysis. so anything that disrupts the flow of blood to the brain
and heart is a potential culprit. surprisingly most of the causes of heart
disease and stroke can be traced back to high levels of excess fat. we talked
about how high blood pressure is one of the causes of heart disease. as it can
disorder blood flow
cholesterol is the liquid fat that flows with our
blood. if bad cholesterol or LDL increases in the blood it can cause blockages
in the arteries by sticking to the walls which can then lead to a heart attack
or stroke. this high cholesterol level is again linked with high levels of body
fat.
No 4. kidney problems
think of a filter paper that has to filter through a
glass of water that is half filled with mud. you can imagine how quickly the
filter paper would become clogged and even tear open. our kidneys perform the
important role of filtering our blood from all kinds of bad stuff.
when we are obese and overweight the blood becomes
saturated with fat and other harmful stuff. so our kidneys have to work day and
night to filter our blood. this stress leads to different kidney problems or
worse it could cause kidney failure.
No 5. sleep apnea
sleep is essential for our mind and body. our bodies
recover during sleep and our brains make important neural connections. no wonder
is such a peaceful time, but what if that sleep gets taken away from you. sleep
apnea is a condition which breathing gets disrupted for short periods. this happens
due to the accumulation of fat over the neck region that narrows the air
passageway.
it is a very scary experience and people suffering
from this condition have difficulty going to sleep due to constant fear of not
being able to breathe. if it is not treated over time. it can lead to other
problems like type 2 diabetes and heart attacks. so if you're suffering from
sleep apnea you can start by losing some of the extra weight to see if it
improves.
No 6. infertility
excess fat can even come in the way of giving birth.
pregnant women with excess body fat are more susceptible to developing insulin resistance, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. these conditions then lead to many complications
during pregnancy. a study reveals that 60 of pregnant women with a bmi of 40 or
above have one of these complications at the time of delivery.
including gestational diabetes, blood clots,
needing a C-section, a lot of bleeding after delivery, premature birth and even
miscarriages. not only is excess fat dangerous for pregnant women, but it can
also even come in the way of becoming pregnant. so if you're thinking about
having a baby you should first try to lose some weight to avoid complications.
No 7. Depression
being overweight can cause some people to have low self-esteem and lose self-confidence. even if you try to move on and not become self-conscious society makes sure funny behavior. even as an adult being overweight can come in the way of finding a suitable partner and can make you unfit for many jobs.
studies have found a strong correlation between
obesity and depression due to these reasons. due to this depression and sadness, you're more likely to overeat a seating is the only time where you feel good. this
dependence on food is very dangerous and it makes it very difficult to lose
weight.
Also the lower levels of self-esteem make it very
difficult for you to take action and try to lose extra weight. so if you are
suffering from depression due to your weight and appearance and don't know how
to stop eating, you need to first develop a belief in yourself. that you can
lose this extra weight.
Once you're able to find motivation then you should
consult a doctor and start your weight loss journey. our journey towards a
healthy and depression free life. being overweight is becoming a new normal for
us. when the doctor warns us against the potential risk of being overweight, we just
laugh it off and go back to our happy lives of eating pizzas.