Excess Belly Fat Leads to Blood Vessel Disorders

More evidence that excess belly fat is particularly bad for us. A recent study finds that those who put on even a little weight around the middle hamper the workings of the endothelial cells that line our blood vessels.

These cells are vital in terms of blood vessel function, controlling the ability of the vessel to contract and dilate to keep blood flowing in the body. Any trouble for these cells increases the risk of high blood pressure and a number of other health problems according to researchers.

High blood pressure is often called the "silent killer" because early on there are no symptoms, and by the time you do see them, untreated hypertension has caused damage to the heart, the kidneys, the arteries themselves, perhaps even your eyes and brain. The American Heart Association estimates that this condition affects one in three adults (71 million people) in the U.S.

When your doctor (or more likely the nurse) takes a blood pressure reading they get a picture of the pressure in the arteries at two different points - systolic (top number) for when the heart is pumping blood, diastolic (bottom number) for when the heart is at rest, getting blood from other parts of the body. A normal blood pressure reading is considered anything less than 120/80, with numbers over this increasing your risks of complications.

In this most recent study, the team randomly assigned 43 healthy, normal weight adult volunteers to either gain almost 9 pounds or stay at their current weight.

The researchers measured endothelial function in the brachial artery in the arm, looking for the ability of the artery to dilate. Measurements were taken at the start of the study, after eight weeks of weight gain, and again after 16 weeks of weight loss for those who had gained weight. Weight gainers demonstrated a decrease in the ability of the artery to dilate, though when they lost the added weight, the ability went right back to normal.

The research shows that even the modest amount of weight we might gain after a vacation or over the holidays, has an impact on the body and potentially harmful effects on the blood vessels. Losing the weight gets things back to normal, if you manage to drop the pounds.

Researchers believe that when people put on weight in the belly area, they have more trouble with endothelia function, which is a well known marker of the health of the blood vessels in the body. Fat in the belly area is especially troublesome, a belief that is increasingly supported by more and more experts.

The good news is that excess belly fat can respond to diet and exercise. Research has learned that eating a very specific kind of fat is an entirely natural way to fight both types of belly fat, subcutaneous (what you can see) and visceral (what you can't). Add a few lifestyle changes and some targeted exercises and you can be on the way to getting your belly back down to size.

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