As women fight the battle of the bulge whilst they mature 40 years and beyond, they accumulate fat within their bellies, deep inside. This is called Visceral fat and is usually the outcome of lack of exercise and unhealthy eating habits. Their metabolism has slowed down due to reduced physical activity, and weight gain gets initiated.
Fat is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body, which produces various hormones, including estrogen (the female reproductive hormone). Besides, visceral fat leads to Insulin Resistance ie. the Insulin in the body does not work efficiently, hence the body has to produce more and more insulin to bring on its effect of keeping the blood sugar under control. As the Insulin level rises in the body, it behaves like a growth factor, leading to increasing weight and obesity in the lady.
This creates a vicious cycle, where the more fat there is, the more gets deposited! A day comes when the Insulin Resistance gets so severe that the blood sugar can no longer be controlled and the lady develops full blown Diabetes! Hence Insulin Resistance can also be called a pre diabetic state. The higher the Insulin, the more are the cravings to eat and this should be a warning signal of impending Diabetes.
The increasing fat also produces an excess of estrogen which causes problems with menstruation. It may lead to delayed periods, heavy periods or frequent periods. Women with menstrual dysfunction can also retain some of the inner lining of the uterus ie. Endometrium every time they menstruate. This builds up over the years and causes thickening of the endometrium, leading later to small fleshy growths, called "polyps" or also “endometrial hyperplasia” which is a precancerous condition. Hence it is very important to see your gynecologist if you develop menstrual problems, especially if you are overweight. So being overweight or obese is not just a body image or a cosmetic problem. It has far reaching implications which can cause many handicaps in the future such as High Cholesterol, Diabetes Mellitus, heart diseases, needing angioplasty and bypass surgery and immobility leading to knee and hip replacements.
Our Motto should be "Shed those extra pounds, exercise and eat healthy"