Body fat is essential, we can’t survive without it. However we all know that too much fat isn’t good for you. Obesity is as deadly as smoking and is costing the health sector millions of dollars a year.

The most dangerous fat from a health perspective is abdominal fat. Heart disease and diabetes risks are closely linked to waist measurements in both men and women.

Eating too much of any food, whilst not doing enough exercise, will make you fat.

We are all born with about 40 billion fat cells. As we grow we make more but generally after puberty that’s it unless one  overeats. When your fat cells are full they then divide to make more fat cells at which point, barring liposuction, you’re stuck with them. However they can be shrunk.

Individual fat cells are tiny. However they like to cluster together to form fatty tissue. This fat waits to be drawn upon by the body and once empty the cell shrinks like an empty balloon until we overeat and fill it back up again.

So make the choice to eat smarter and exercise more to improve overall health.

Article by nutritionist Ginny McArthur

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