Weight Loss - Weight Loss Can Stop You From Aging Faster

For a while a lot of focus has been on how to achieve weight loss. Experts for quite some time have attributed a number of health conditions to being overweight but a new study has linked being obese with premature aging. The study went deep into the blood and found that white blood cells show early signs of aging when there is a substantial weight gain or when insulin resistance is present.

The body naturally makes insulin to control and maintain blood sugar levels. When insulin resistance is present the body has to work harder to prepare adequate insulin for the body. Insulin resistance is also a clear sign that the body is having trouble controlling its blood sugar level. This alone can be an indicator of future health risk such as diabetes and heart disease.

The study was conducted by the Bogalusa Heart Study, LA. The study started in 1973 studying about 49 black and white young people who were by that time mostly in grade school. The study now studies them as adults and been able to measure their weight, height and blood sugar levels at least twice between 1988 and 2001. They also measured the length of telomeres of the white cell. Telomeres are from the chromosomes of the white blood cells which is the house of DNA. Naturally telomeres grow shorter with age but it was also found out that weight gain and insulin resistance can also be linked with shorter telomeres.

What made the telomeres shrink faster than normal? The study doesn't settle that, but cell-damaging free radicals and inflammation might be responsible, say the researchers.

For instance, they say that obesity is associated with increased inflammation because fat tissue is a major source of inflammatory chemicals. "Inflammation promotes an increase in white blood cell turnover, which would enhance telomeres attrition," they write.

How does obesity or weight gain affect telomeres shrinking? The study suggested that inflammation and radicals which damage the cells might be the cause. Information causes white cells to burn out at a high rate and the effort needed to replace them is a major wear factor of telomeres causing it to shorten.

Insulin resistance common with obesity is associated with free radical cell damage. Damaged cells become free radicals which cause a hazard with the DNA of normal cells and could lead to other health conditions.

Obesity can be prevented from occurring in the first place. As studies continue to show it causes lot of health hazards which can be avoided to a large extent. Healthy dieting, adequate rest and exercise as well as avoidance of a sedimentary life style would go a long way in achieving weight reduction. Weight loss could further lead to lower health risk and as this study shows, it might even prevent premature aging.

Apparently weight loss is not just about appearance anymore. Appearance might be very important for social life, health is somehow more important. What if you could achieve both of them with simple methods that might change the way you look and your body condition? check out the controversial methods at effective weight loss methods.

Ivy is a mother of three. She used to be fat and she has tried a lot of methods in order to lose weight. Now she wants to share what she has learned and her secret, visit her website at weight loss methods if you want to have a good appearance and be healthy at the same time.