Another Reason to Start That Fitness Program

Yet Another Reason to Start That Fitness Program

Add dementia to the list of serious medical problems associated with obesity. According to Kaiser Permanente, one of the leading research programs in the US, a long-term study shows that a larger abdomen in midlife increases the risk of dementia later in life. Even people considered to be of relatively normal weight, have a higher risk of developing dementia in their 70’s. Where the weight is carried appears to be a factor in predicting this debilitating disease that affects memory and brain function. Belly fat density shares common properties with visceral fat tissue, the fat tissue that is wrapped around the organs, according to the researchers. More research is being done to determine if this type of fat is more metabolically active than other types of fat under the skin. Extensive study already links a large midsection shape to a greater risk of diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.

Using data from a broad health study of 6,583, middle-aged people who had their belly fat measured between 1964 and 1973, researchers examined whether members from this group were diagnosed with dementia when they reached their 70’s sometime between 1994 and 2006.

Researchers used the sagittal abdominal diameter for measuring fat, or SAD. Your SAD is a measure of the girth around the abdomen at a height that is half way between the top of your pelvis and your lower ribs. It is considered a more reliable measure of a person's girth than the waistline, and the measurement is taken by using a caliper. SAD is also more reliable than the body mass index, or BMI, which is the most common method to determine whether a person is obese or overweight and uses a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women. BMI is not always reliable because a person may be muscular as opposed to fat.

Results indicate the risk for dementia increases along with the higher levels of belly fat calculated in the study group even after taking into account different factors such as diabetes, heart disease, bad habits, and even lower education.

On another disheartening note, the CDC lists the obesity rate for 2005-2006 at 34 percent of U.S. adults aged 20 and over. 

 Health professionals agree that the more overweight a person is the more likely he or she is to have health problems. People who are 20% or more overweight can gain significant health benefits from losing weight. Many obesity experts believe that people who are less than 20% above their healthy weight should still try to lose weight if they have high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, or high blood sugar levels, family history of certain chronic diseases, and people whose weight is concentrated around their stomachs.

Fitness21 partner Phil Kaplan has been in the fitness industry for over 20 years and has developed several programs that guarantee weight loss and lasting fitness. With honesty, patience, and his passion for “delivering the fitness truth”, Phil has worked closely with the professional trainers at Fitness21 who understand and follow his widely researched approach. “I've found, based on both life experience and extensive research, there is no greater fitness and fat loss solution than the combination of supportive nutrition incorporating frequent thermic meals, moderate aerobic exercise, and a commitment to strength training. This is not an approach specific to athletes. I've had over 40,000 people from all age categories and all fitness levels go through my TRANSFORM! program and have had an astounding success rate in helping people from every walk of life with my 21 Day Journey to Excellence. All of my programs are designed, not as quick fixes, but for lasting results.”