Problems That Occur From Fats In Our Diet

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention refer to the U.S. population as "obesegenic," or living lives that promote obesity, and with good reason. Americans live in an environment that promotes overindulgence in poor food choices and a sedentary lifestyle. Fats in our plentiful food resources, particularly saturated fats and trans fats, are very bad for the overall health of the body. Saturated fats, such as those found in red meat like steak, hamburger and other fatty red meats contribute to obesity and high cholesterol levels. Serious health problems occur when there is too much fat in our diet.

Heart Disease

Coronary artery disease or heart blockages, are caused by atherosclerotic plaques that form from too much cholesterol in the blood. According to the Cleveland Clinic, coronary artery disease is still the number one cause of death in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that heart disease caused 26 percent of all deaths in the United States in 2006. High cholesterol is caused by eating foods high in fat.

Peripheral Artery Disease

According to "The 5-Minute Clinical Consult" textbook, 8 to 12 million people are affected by peripheral artery disease, or occlusive disease of the leg arteries. Symptomatic patients have a mortality rate of 30 percent over the course of five years. Two to 5 percent of patients with peripheral artery disease will eventually require amputation. Obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are risk factors for peripheral artery disease. These risk factors can be modified by controlling the amount of fat in the diet.

High Blood Pressure

In the United States, 73 million people have high blood pressure, according to The Texas Heart Institute. As blood is pumped from the heart it exerts pressure on the walls of the arteries throughout the body. This pressure is the measured blood pressure. Stiff artery walls increase the pressure. It's like trying to squeeze toothpaste through a small hole: the amount of pressured required is increased. Diets high in saturated fat and salt are risk factors for high blood pressure.

Gout

The Merck Manual Online Medical Library.com notes that gout is a form of acute arthritis that often manifests in the big toe. It usually occurs in middle aged men and women after menopause. People susceptible to gout should avoid fatty foods as many these foods are also high in purines which cause gout attacks. For instance, sausage is a high purine food but also a very fatty food. Ingesting foods high in fat can cause gout and exacerbate heart disease.