The harm of obesity can be described as both internal and external injuries

What specific hazards does gaining weight pose to one's physical health? Obesity is a phenomenon caused by excessive accumulation of fat in the human body, and is not considered a sign of "health" by people. Obesity not only affects physical beauty, but also brings inconvenience to life. More importantly, it can easily cause various complications, accelerate aging and death. No wonder some people say that obesity is a precursor to disease and a signal of aging.

1. Heart. Excess adipose tissue in the body requires more oxygen consumption. This means that the heart must provide more blood oxygen to adipose tissue. The more fat accumulates in the arteries, the worse the arterial function, the thicker the blood vessel walls, and the reduced blood flow. This not only increases the burden on the heart, but also increases the risk of thrombosis and deterioration of systemic blood circulation. The study found that the risk of atherosclerosis in obese people was 10 times higher than that in healthy people.

2. Colon.

research has found that obesity is associated with most cancers, but it is most strongly associated with colon cancer. In obese people, there is a striking positive correlation between the incidence rate of bowel cancer and the degree of obesity. Experts believe that one major reason is the excessive intake of processed meat and red meat, which increases the risk of intestinal polyps (early signs of colon cancer). Another major reason is the high levels of insulin or growth factors related to insulin in the blood. However, the specific mechanisms by which these factors increase the risk of colon cancer are not fully understood.

3. Brain. A new study by the University of California, Los Angeles found that compared to people of normal weight, overweight individuals have an average of 8% less brain tissue and 16 years of premature brain failure. Generally, overweight individuals have 4% less brain tissue than normal individuals and experience premature aging for 8 years. The fatter the body, the worse the cognitive function of the brain. Scientists believe that this is related to the deterioration of white matter around brain nerve fibers. This will affect the transmission of signals by nerve fibers.4. Skin. Obesity can also damage skin health. Obesity can lead to hormonal changes in the body, which in turn can cause conditions such as melanosis (skin pigmentation, thickening, roughness, etc.) and stasis dermatitis (skin redness, swelling, inflammation, etc.), as well as decreased venous function, poor blood flow, and increased risk of foot ulcers.

5. Lungs.

A French study found that compared with people with normal weight, people with abdominal obesity have twice the risk of lung function damage, and the incidence rate of respiratory diseases such as COPD and sleep apnea is higher. Researchers say that obese individuals' stomachs can restrict the diaphragm, thereby increasing the difficulty of lung expansion. Excessive fat can increase the inflammatory response in the body and to some extent damage the lungs. Typically, abdominal obesity refers to a male waist circumference greater than 40 inches (approximately 101.6 centimeters) and a female waist circumference greater than 35 inches (approximately 88.9 centimeters).

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