Chiropractor Baltimore Explains Waist Circumference and Deadly Belly Fat
All fat is not the same.
Belly fat in Baltimore (officially known as "visceral fat") is much deadlier than fat that is simply found subcutaneously under the skin. A third type of fat, retroperitoneal fat (fat found outside of the peritoneal cavity of the body) is not as deadly as belly fat either.
It is important to distinguish between the different types of fat a person carries on their body because recent research shows that the presence of belly fat helps predict the presence of potentially serious health risks.
The current scientific thinking is based upon belly fat having the ability to act as an endocrine organ that increases the occurrence of pro-inflammatory molecules known as cytokines. The increase in cytokines is being associated with the excess of belly fat which results in the establishment of chronic, low-grade inflammation that appears to be a crucial factor in many chronic "age related" health disorders.
It is well established via new estimates that more than two-thirds of Americans are either obese or at least overweight. Being overweight or obese in Baltimore has been established as being a major risk factor in serious health damaging conditions such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease (vascular disease), hypertension (high blood pressure), some types of cancer, asthma, sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, osteoarthritis, infertility, and metabolic syndrome.
It is a relatively easy chore to measure waist circumference to determine if you have belly fat that may put you at risk of suffering health catastrophes.
The proper way to measure waist circumference is to locate the tops of your iliac crest. The easiest way to do this is to slide your hands down the sides of your waist until you contact the big bones that make up the top of your pelvis. These big bones are your iliac crests.
After finding your iliac crests, place a flexible measuring tape around your waist just above the iliac crests. While the measuring tape should be snug it should not compress your skin.
Always take your waist measurement with all of the air out of your lungs. This will increase your accuracy.
If a male has a waistline greater than 40 inches or a female has a waistline greater than 35 inches places them in a high-risk category for health problems. If you fall into this category see your local chiropractor in Baltimore at Perry Hall Chiropractic & Physical Therapy to explore healthy solutions to this common dilemma.
