Doctors classify approximately one-third of the adults in the United States as obese, as reported by Dr. Katherine M. Flegal and associates in a Jan. 13, 2010, article in "The Journal of the American Medical Association." Carrying excess body fat increases the risk of developing certain health problems, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which can lead to diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Causes
In the simplest terms, obesity occurs when the amount of calories ingested exceeds the amount the body uses each day. The human body requires calories for physical activity, to maintain weight and to provide energy to support all bodily functions. Consuming more calories than the body can burn off causes the body to store the excess as fat, leading to obesity.
Cholesterol
Doctors describe cholesterol, a type of fat found throughout the body, as a soft, waxy substance. Because blood is mostly water, the fat cannot dissolve in the blood. Therefore, proteins known as lipoproteins must carry the cholesterol through the bloodstream. Two types of lipoproteins exist: low-density lipoproteins, known as LDL, and high-density lipoproteins, known as HDL.
Lipoprotein Functions
Approximately one-fourth to one-third of the cholesterol in the blood attaches to high-density lipoproteins. Because HDL carries the cholesterol to the liver to be processed and excreted, doctors describe HDL as "good" cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein, also known as "bad" cholesterol, traps the cholesterol in the blood, which allows it to accumulate along the walls of the arteries. Large amounts of body fat cause increases in the fat in the blood, which in turn increases the amount of LDL and lowers the level of HDL.
Risk Factors
Although ingesting too many calories is the most fundamental cause of obesity, factors contributing to the condition including genetics, environmental factors and social factors. Similarly, many factors contribute to the onset of high cholesterol. The primary ones, according to MayoClinic.com, include poor diet and lack of exercise.
Prevention
Preventing obesity and high cholesterol involves making long-term lifestyle changes. Changing your diet to a healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables and whole grains provides essential vitamins, minerals and calories to sustain the body while cutting down on excess calories and fats. Participating in moderate-intensity physical activity at least 30 minutes a day reduces the risk for both obesity and high cholesterol. Since smoking and alcohol use can promote obesity and contribute to high cholesterol, avoiding both, or consuming only moderate amounts of alcohol, decreases the risk of both conditions.
References
- American Heart Association: Cholesterol
- "The Journal of the American Medical Association"; Prevalence and Trends in Obesity...; Katherine M. Flegal et al.; Jan. 13, 2010
- American Heart Association: Obesity
- MayoClinic.com: High Cholesterol Risk Factors
- Weight-Control Information Network: Understanding Adult Obesity
