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2010-01-04
Unawareness of the risk posed by a thick waist
A recent Europe-wide survey from GlaxoSmithKline showed that almost nine in ten people are not aware that a thick waist can pose health problems. In fact, a thickening girth is a sign of building up dangerous "visceral fat", which is strongly associated with type 2 diabetes and heart disease, around the internal organs in the abdomen. It is thought that "visceral fat" can release proteins and hormones, which in turn can damage arteries and enter the liver, affecting the breakdown of sugars and fats. The report pointed out even a small amount of weight loss can cause a difference because "visceral fat" is more easily broken down for energy than the fat immediately under the skin. However, Professor David Haslam, chair of the UK National Obesity Forum, warned that steady sustainable weight loss is important.
(BBC News) |
