Women battle with weight constantly, especially when it comes to stubborn fat that will not budge. Now there is another reason to make women want to reach and maintain a healthy weight. Stem cells from fat in obese women are boosting growth of breast tumors more than they are with women at a normal weight.
A recent study from Tulane University in New Orleans depicted this relationship as researchers used the collection of disposed fat from obese and normal weight women who had undergone liposuction. The stem cells from the women’s fat were mixed with breast cancer cells and injected into mice. A month later the mice developed tumors. The mice that received obese stem cells saw a growth of the tumor that was more than twice the size compared to the normal stem cells. Researchers concluded that the excess fat caused the inflammation of the tumors and when mixed with cancer it helped the tumors expand.
According to the Centers for Disease and Prevention Control, more than one-third of adults in the United States are obese. Obesity is related to many health conditions including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. In many cases, obesity is the cause of death for overweight adults. For postmenopausal women, obesity increases the risk of breast cancer, as estrogen levels grow higher in these women leading to rapid growth of breast tumors.
What Steps Can Be Taken to Reduce Weight?
Medical professionals suggest that the first step to battling fat is by setting realistic goals and making lifestyle changes. Health experts confirm that the best way to reduce weight is slowly. A weight loss goal for obese women should set a goal of 1 to 2 pounds a week, which is safe, attainable and will better able the body to keep the weight off.
A lifestyle choice affects the mind and body, and to reduce weight women have to achieve a balance of healthy diet and physical activity. Reducing the amount of calories per meal is a safe start, as well as swapping unhealthy meals for nutritious foods.
Calculate body mass index to determine the normal weight to be reached. Body mass index is a measure of body fat based on height and weight of an individual. Generally doctors say that the BMI scale is not an exact measurement of weight distribution since every individual has a different body, but the rankings are closely related. The BMI rankings are:
- Below 18.5 – Underweight
- 18.5 to 24.9 – Normal Weight
- 25 to 29.9 – Overweight
- 30 and higher – Obese
How Can a Tummy Tuck Help Keep the Weight Off?
According to a study from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, long term weight loss has a high success rate in women who had a BMI of 24.5 or higher before tummy tuck. Most women in the study reported that they achieved an increased feeling of satiety (sensation of being full after eating), either after a meal or throughout the day, following abdominoplasty. The study indicates that women who were overweight or obese prior to surgery achieve lasting weight loss after surgery.
A tummy tuck is designed to reduce the excess weight and skin which makes patients desire a flatter and firmer abdominal section. To maintain results many patients convert to a healthier and active lifestyle well beyond their procedure, thus keeping the weight off effectively. The longer the weight is kept off is the better the chance of reducing cancer growth in women’s breasts. For more information about how a tummy tuck can reduce breast cancer growth visit your doctor to devise a health plan to achieve successful weight loss.
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