But what physiological effects does being overweight or obese have on your body?
Depression – The more fat you have the more depressed you are likely to be. Why? The diet many overweight and obese people consume tends to be low in tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin (a neurotransmitter which positively effects mood). (Breum et al 2003)
Inflammation and Pain – Low-grade systemic inflammation (metaflammation) is associated with obesity (British Journal of Nutrition 2009). In tests when bodyweight was lost, pain levels reduced (Sharman 2004).
Insulin Resistance – The more excess weight you carry, the less effective your body is at lowering blood sugar levels (Greenfield 2004).
Osteoarthritis – More bodyweight increases pressure on joints and wears cartilage. (Van Saase 1988)
Chronic illness – High blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, dementia and some cancers (Soloman 2001) are all related to being obesity. In UK 9,000 people die of obesity related illness every year (Journal of Epidemiology 2007).
So apart from being more aesthetically pleasing, staying or getting lean has major short term and long term health benefits!
