Furthermore, body fat, specifically visceral fat, has a role in the release of specific cytokines, which are a broad category of proteins involved in cell signaling, that can potentially increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

On a related note, studies have found that excess body fat, particularly abdominal fat, disrupts the normal balance and function of some of these hormones. An excess or a lack of critical hormones can have negative effects that preclude proper body function. All of these potential complications have the ability to reduce a person's life expectancy, and as such, obesity is a medical condition that is studied by many researchers.Īs previously mentioned, fat produces a number of essential hormones that affect a person's body. Obesity is associated with a reduction in quality of life, poorer mental health outcomes, obstructive sleep apnea, as well as multiple leading causes of death worldwide such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, certain cancers and diabetes. adults are defined as obese according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This has been a growing cause for concern because 36.5% of U.S. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies obesity as one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide that is estimated to claim 111,909 to 365,000 deaths per year in the U.S. Potential Complications of Excess Body Fat After the age of 40 (or after menopause in some cases for women), reduced sexual hormones can lead to excess body fat around the stomach in men, or around the buttocks and thighs of women. Note that both women and men store body fat differently and that this can change over time. However, managing diet and exercise has been shown to reduce stored fat. Due to varying factors, it can be more difficult for certain people to reduce body fat stored in the abdominal region. The rate at which body fat accumulates is different from person to person and is dependent on many factors including genetic factors as well as behavioral factors such as lack of exercise and excessive food intake. Thus, highly muscular people are often classified as overweight. A person's body weight is comprised of multiple factors including (but not limited to) body fat, muscle, bone density, and water content.

Note that being overweight does not necessarily indicate an excess of body fat. While some storage fat is ideal, excess amounts of storage fat can have serious negative health implications.Įxcess body fat leads to the condition of being overweight and eventually to obesity given that insufficient measures are taken to curb increasing body fat. Storage fat is fat that accumulates in adipose tissue, be it subcutaneous fat (deep under the dermis and wrapped around vital organs) or visceral fat (fat located inside the abdominal cavity, between organs), and references to body fat typically refer to this type of fat. While having excess body fat can have many detrimental effects on a person's health, insufficient body fat can have negative health effects of its own, and maintaining a body fat percentage below, or even at the essential body fat percentage range is a topic that should be discussed with a medical professional. The healthy range of body fat for men is typically defined as 8-19%, while the healthy range for women is 21-33%. The amount of essential fat differs between men and women, and is typically around 2-5% in men, and 10-13% in women. It is necessary fat that maintains life and reproductive functions. Essential body fat is a base level of fat that is found in most parts of the body. In addition, it secretes a number of important hormones, and provides the body with some cushioning as well as insulation.īody fat includes essential body fat and storage body fat. Its primary purpose is to store lipids from which the body creates energy. The scientific term for body fat is 'adipose tissue.' Adipose tissue serves a number of important functions. Jackson & Pollard Ideal Body Fat Percentages Age The American Council on Exercise Body Fat Categorization Description Related BMI Calculator | Calorie Calculator | Ideal Weight Calculator

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