The dangers of abdominal fat are confirmed

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

New research links abdominal fat with inflammation, which is known to increase the risk of heart disease.
Abdominal fat is known to be linked to heart disease, but the underlying mechanisms have not been clear. Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine now reveal that inflammation may play a key role in this association.

They have found that fat cells inside the abdomen can secrete molecules that increase inflammation. In this new study, they looked at the blood running through abdominal fat, knowing that it would be hard to remove the fat itself for analysis. Working with patients undergoing weight loss surgery, they learned that the molecules in abdominal fat secrete high levels of interleukin-6, a molecule that triggers inflammation. Moreover, these levels of interleukin-6 were linked, in turn, to higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which is linked to chronic inflammation. Other research has linked CRP to heart disease and type 2 diabetes. These new findings provide a strong argument for getting rid of abdominal fat.

Source
Washington University in St Louis 13th March 2007

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