Obesity has a direct causal link with high levels of triglycerides. Triglycerides are the primary fat in our bodies, the main constituent in our energy system. People who are overweight tend to have much higher levels of these fats. Obesity is on the rise throughout the Western World, and with it comes the elevation in triglyceride levels. It is clear to most observers that lifestyle habits are at the core of the growing obesity pandemic. That is, in fact, good news. Lifestyles are chosen. That means that the power to control triglycerides is within the reach of most people. Some causes of obesity are beyond individual control. But many of then are not. We can make the choice to exercise and follow through on that decision with a regular, progressive program that features both aerobic and anaerobic movements. We can also discipline ourselves to control our diet. Our diet – what we eat – plays a critical role in determining our triglyceride levels.

Triglycerides come to the body through the foods we eat and the body makes more of them from other foods that we eat. Diets high in certain foods and low in others cause the body to create and store inordinate amounts of triglycerides. A case in point is sugar. Simple sugars convert easily into triglycerides. So, too, do many other simple carbohydrates. To avoid becoming obese and having high levels of triglycerides, you should severely cut back on your intake of simple carbohydrates.

A 2003 study showed that obesity can increases intra-myocellular triglyceride peroxidation. Intra-myocellular triglycerides (IMTG) accumulate in the muscle of obese humans and are considered a pathogenic factor in the development of insulin resistance. In the study the lipid peroxidation/IMTG ratio was 4.2-fold higher in obese subjects than in subjects who’s weight was within the normal range.

Obesity and Diabetes Week: 11-10-03