Losing weight can have unexpected benefits by lowering inflammation throughout the body. There is increasing evidence that belly fat, is metabolically active. By secreting inflammatory compounds this abdominal adiposity increases the propensity for blood to clot and reduces the flexibility of blood vessels. These negative factors contribute to heart disease.
Researcher at Johns Hopkins randomly assigned 60 overweight people to follow either a low carb or a low fat diet for six months. Then they measured blood markers for inflammation. Those following the low-carb approach lost 10 pounds more than their low-fat counterparts. They also lost almost 6 pounds more from their bellies. But both groups had a significant reduction in inflammatory markers such as C-reative protein, interleukin-6 and tumor-necrosis factor-alpha. The investigators concluded that it doesn’t matter how you do it…losing weight lowers inflammation.
[American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, November 5, 2012]
