Obesity Will Raise Your Cholesterol By Michael Flowers At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Obesity is simply having too much fat for your body mass. It is reported that approximately 65 percent of adults are overweight or obese. Sixty-one million adult Americans are considered obese. What's more, children are getting heavier as well.

It increases your risk of developing conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes (type 2), heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease and cancer of the breast, prostate and colon.

It also raises blood cholesterol and triglyceride while lowering HDL "good" cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is linked with lower heart disease and stroke risk, so reducing it tends to raise the risk.

If your child is overweight it also increases their health risks. Type 2 diabetes was once rare in American children—now it accounts for 8 to 45 percent of newly diagnosed diabetes cases in children and adolescents. And, overweight children are more likely to become overweight or obese as adults.

Each year, this disease causes at least 300,000 excess deaths in the U.S., and healthcare costs of American adults that are obese amount to approximately $100 billion.

The National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines suggest at least a six-month program of reduced dietary saturated fat and cholesterol, together with physical activity and weight control, as the primary treatment before resorting to drug therapy.

Many people respond well to this and end up sufficiently reducing blood cholesterol levels. Study data reinforce these benefits.

For example, a 1998 Columbia University study examined 103 male and female patients of diverse ages and ethnic backgrounds and found that reducing dietary saturated fat directly affected blood cholesterol. For every 1 percent drop in saturated fat, the study showed a 1 percent lowering of LDL in patients.

The tendency toward this condition is fostered by our environment: lack of physical activity combined with high-calorie, low-cost foods.

If maintained, even weight losses as small as 10 percent of body weight can improve your health.

Start counting calories and cutting backing on saturated fat,trans fat and cholesterol.

Speak to your doctor and become physically active.

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