Body Fat Hardens Arteries After Middle Age

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130515085333.htm
Science Daily- May 15, 2013

Summary

Research shows that when a child, one's body is able to adapt to obesity. Arteries appear to be more flexible and adaptable. Although when researchers tested, studies show that after middle age, body fat is a huge factor in artery hardening. Being young and obese doesn't affect your arteries but once you reach middle age, the long term affect of being exposed to obesity is arteries hardening which leads to more breaks due to less elasticity which compensates for the extra pressure. The damage done by body fat differs depending on how many years one has been obese. Although it is not clear as to why having excess body fat affects arteries, scientists speculate that certain metabolic products in the blood may progressively damage the elastic fibers in our blood vessels. This is an increasingly concerning problem.

Connection

This article connects to our studies in biology because it talks about arteries and body fat. We learned that arteries are the vessels that carry blood from the heart and have a lot of pressure put on them. They are very crucial in the circulatory system. The hardening of them, mentioned in this article, is a very serious matter. The body fat which is ingested in excess amounts apparently has an affect on this. It connects to our studies in many ways, mainly to the circulatory system.