What is inflammation and why should you care?
Most people realize that excess fat is unhealthy, but the key is
where the fat is distributed. People with apple-shaped bodies (fattest
in the abdomen) have a greater risk of heart disease and diabetes
than those with pear shapes (fattest in the hips, buttocks, and
thighs).
One way to test for inflammation is to measure levels of C-reactive protein in the blood. Elevated levels of C-reactive protein are linked with a higher than average risk of heart disease. What's interesting is that higher C-reactive protein levels are linked with body fat, especially the belly fat stored around your waist [1, 3, 4].
Several studies have found a link between abdominal fat and markers
of chronic inflammation [1, 5, 6]. The research is based on a
relatively new idea that fat is an “organ” that produces
substances — such as leptin and cytokines — that
can affect your health [2]. In other words, there's more to the
fat around your waist than what the scales and mirrors reveal.
Most doctors will tell you that the best way to avoid a heart attack
is to lower your cholesterol. What they won't tell you is that routine
cholesterol tests identify less than half of all patients who are
at risk for heart disease.
In other words, a patient can receive a "normal" cholesterol
reading one day and still suffer a heart attack the next. The truth
is that many cardiologists believe we should be looking beyond cholesterol.
As scientists delve deeper into the fundamental causes of heart
disease and other illnesses, they are starting to see links to
an age-old defense mechanism called inflammation. This is the
same biological process that causes the redness, swelling and pain
if you cut a finger.
Inflammation is a vital process in the first line of defense against
disease. But problems begin when, for one reason or another, the
inflammatory process persists. If you want to learn more, the BBC
Radio 4 program Frontiers has devoted an entire episode to the topic
of inflammation. You can listen
to it on the Internet.
About The Author
 Christian Finn holds a master's degree in exercise science, is a certified personal trainer and has been featured on BBC TV and radio, as well as in Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, Fit Pro, Zest and other popular fitness magazines.
If you're stuck
in a rut with your current exercise and diet plan... fed up with
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References
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J., Fukuda, M., & Kishi, R. (2004).
Relationship between C-reactive protein and visceral adipose tissue
in healthy Japanese subjects. Diabetes,
Obesity and Metabolism, 6, 249-258
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Reviews, 21, 697-738
3. Bo, M., Raspo, S., Morra, F., Isaia, G., Cassader, M., Fabris,
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in healthy non-obese men.
Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases, 14,
66-72
4. Festa, A., D'Agostino, R. Jr., Williams, K., Karter, A.J., Mayer-Davis,
E.J., Tracy, R.P., & Haffner, S.M. (2001). The relation of
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P., Nadeau, A., Bergeron, J., & Despres, J.P. (2001). Elevated
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