Another Study to Suggest that the Harms of Excess Fat Tissue are Understated

As a companion piece to a recent sizable study on weight and risk of age-related disease, here is another set of data to suggest that the existing consensus on the harms done by excess visceral fat tissue are, if anything, an underestimate. There is a large body of research that covers the many mechanisms by which the visceral fat packed around internal organs causes damage, such as through inflammation and immune dysfunction, the presence of raised numbers of senescent cells, the metabolic disarray that leads to diabetes, and so forth. Collectively it is a lengthy cautionary tale for those living far enough along the upward curve of technological progress to have reliable access to cheap calories, but not far enough to have reliable technological means to prevent the consequences of consuming those calories. The harmful effects of being overweight have been underestimated, according to a new study. Previous studies have suggested that the optimum body mass index (BMI), at which the risk of death is minimised, appears to be above the range normally recommended by doctors, leading to claims it is good for health to be mildly overweight. However, scientists suspect these studies do not reflect the true effect of BMI on health, because early stages of illness, health-damaging behaviours, such as cigarette smoking, and other factors can lead to both lower BMI and increased risk of death. This makes it difficult to estimate how BMI actually influences risk of death (the c...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs