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THE DANGERS OF TOO MUCH BODY FAT

** If you consume more calories than you expend, those extra calories
will be stored primarily as fat regardless of whether the extra
calories come from fats, carbohydrates, or proteins.  Johns Hopkins
experts explain the dangers of fat cell secretions.

It used to be thought that fat cells — known as adipocytes in medical
terminology — were just storage bins for excess calories. Today,
however, it is clear that adipocytes are very active cells that
produce and secrete a wide variety of substances that play a key role
in regulating body weight. But health problems can arise when these
cells begin to secrete too much or too little of these substances.

You are born with a set number of fat cells. If you eat more calories
than your body needs, your fat cells stretch to store these extra
calories as triglycerides. You may even gain new fat cells when the
cells have enlarged to their maximum size. Once created, however, fat
cells remain in your body forever; they may shrink in size when you
lose weight, but they never go away (unless they are removed by
surgery or liposuction).

Fat cells normally produce a variety of substances that influence your
body weight, how many calories you eat, and how those calories are
used as a source of energy. This is an active area of investigation,
and researchers have recently identified along list of these
substances — with unwieldy scientific names such as leptin,
interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, angiotensinogen,
adiponectin, and resistin.

When you have enlarged fat cells or too many fat cells, because you
are overweight, many of these substances are released into the
bloodstream at higher levels than normal. Over time, excessive amounts
of the substances begin to damage blood vessels and tissues and impair
blood flow, resulting in health problems such as diabetes, high blood
pressure, liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of
cancer.

Is there anything you can do to normalize the secretions from your fat
cells? Yes, and losing weight is your best option. Weight loss shrinks
fat cells back to their usual size, normalizes their secretions, and
can reverse or prevent many of the health conditions associated with
obesity.  Some experts predict that doctors may one day be able to
analyze your genetic make-up along with the products of your fat cells
to see which compounds you’re over- or under-secreting, and design an
individualized dietary plan to counter the adverse effects of abnormal
levels of specific secretions. For some, that plan may involve a
carbohydrate-rich diet; for others, a higher protein or healthy fat
regimen. Till then, the usual diet and exercise plan is the best route
to shedding pounds.