Function & Regulation of Body Fat Levels: Introduction
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Often we think of body fat as something to be avoided or gotten rid of at any cost to our overall health. However, body fat performs some vital functions in the human body and is needed for the continuing reproduction of the human species. The percent of body fat needed is based on your gender, with women needing the higher percentage as compared to men. Important fat weight gain occurs to support human survival during periods of life such as pregnancy and breastfeeding which allows for normal fetal weight gain, prevention of a lifetime of health problems for the child, and production of human milk supply.
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On the other hand, overweight and obesity can be related to risks for developing chronic health problems such as hypertension (high blood pressure), elevated blood cholesterol levels, Type II Diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. There are other factors involved in developing these diseases like lifestyle and heredity, but reducing body weight by even five to ten percent can be helpful in improving health.