Fat storage sites, the impact of obesity on lifespan, and its relationship with tobacco and alcohol.

Where does fat reside in obese individuals?

There is no limit to the amount of fat that the human body can store. No matter how much fat there is, the fat storage can hold it all. This is why obese people can continue to gain weight indefinitely.

The largest fat deposit in the human body is subcutaneous tissue. Subcutaneous tissue contains a moderate amount of fat, which prevents a person from appearing skinny and bony, and gives them a lovely, plump appearance.

The second fat deposit is located around the internal organs, especially around the kidneys and the mesentery.

Having a moderate amount of fat around the internal organs is a good thing, as it can support, fix, and protect them.

However, too much of it can restrict and affect the function of internal organs, especially organs like the heart.

Obese people often experience palpitations and shortness of breath during physical activity, which is related to the compression of the heart by surrounding fatty tissue.

The third fat deposit is located on the greater omentum in the abdominal cavity. When obesity reaches a certain level, the abdomen becomes distended, which is a manifestation of excessive fat storage in the greater omentum.

These fat deposits generally store a large amount of fat initially. Based on this, certain characteristics may emerge, such as uniform obesity, abdominal obesity, and truncal obesity.

Does obesity affect lifespan?

As early as the late 1980s, many scholars in Europe and the United States conducted research on risk factors affecting health in large populations and found that the relationship between weight and mortality was J or U-shaped.

In other words, people who are overweight or have excessive weight have a higher mortality rate, especially those who are overweight.

American scholars' research suggests that the mortality rate is lowest among people who are 10%-20% below average weight, increases by 40% among people who are 30%-40% above average weight, and increases by 90% among people who are more than 40% above average weight.

Obesity poses a serious threat to human lifespan.

Obesity can lead to diseases such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, fatty liver, and hyperlipidemia, which often endanger a person's life.

The greater the degree of obesity, the more likely one is to develop these diseases, and therefore the greater the chance of death.

In this sense, the heavier a person is, the shorter their lifespan, just like the saying goes, "the longer the belt, the shorter the lifespan; weight and lifespan are inversely proportional."

What is the relationship between obesity and alcohol consumption?

Wine has a long history in China, and each famous wine has a profound historical and cultural origin.

Guizhou's Moutai, Jiangxi's Site, Beijing's Erguotou, and Qingdao's beer are all popular choices for people to enjoy during festivals, birthdays, and gatherings with family and friends. Shaoxing's rice wine and Chengde's Bazhen Yujiu are legendary health tonics. Tongrentang's Guogong wine and bone spur pain relief liquid are renowned both at home and abroad.

So what kind of alcohol can cause obesity? Mainly beer and spirits.

The main component of alcohol is alcohol (ethanol). Beer has a low alcohol content, only 1.5%-4.5%, which is less harmful to the body, but provides high nutritional value, such as vitamins, yeast, minerals, various amino acids and sugars.

The hops, fresh yeast, carbon dioxide, and sweet, refreshing taste of beer can stimulate the secretion of digestive juices, promote appetite, and aid digestion.

Each bottle of beer produces approximately 2092 kilojoules of heat, hence the nickname "liquid bread."

Drinking alcohol while enjoying delicious food can lead to excessive calorie intake, resulting in excess calories that are stored as fat under the skin and cause obesity.

Baijiu (Chinese liquor) contains a high amount of alcohol, so why does it also cause obesity? This is mainly related to fatty liver caused by alcohol.

Alcohol stimulates the activity of enzymes, reducing the pathway for fatty acids to enter phospholipids and cholesterol esters, indirectly leading to increased triglycerides and fat conversion. In addition, consuming high-calorie dishes while drinking alcohol further exacerbates the liver's impaired energy conversion, causing a large accumulation of subcutaneous fat and resulting in obesity.

Alcohol can invigorate the mind and relieve fatigue. Moderate drinking is beneficial, while excessive drinking is harmful. One should drink alcohol in moderation and according to one's own physical condition, and eat less staple food to achieve the goal of maximizing benefits and minimizing harm.

What is the relationship between obesity and smoking?

Smoking is harmful to health. Cigarettes contain nicotine, tar, and other toxic substances, including benzene compounds.

Smoke entering the lungs can cause coughing, and in people with abnormal constitutions, it can even cause lung cancer; smoke entering the stomach can stimulate intestinal peristalsis and enhance digestive function, but prolonged exposure to smoke can suppress appetite and cause weight loss.

Quitting smoking is a good thing, but for many former smokers, it means new challenges.

Research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that Americans tend to gain weight after quitting smoking, with men gaining an average of 2.8 kg and women an average of 3.8 kg. People over 55 who smoke more than 15 cigarettes a day are particularly prone to weight gain after quitting.

Why is this? Researchers have found that there are indeed some emotional and behavioral reasons, including the habit of putting things in one's mouth.

Nicotine in tobacco accelerates all physiological functions, especially the frequency with which the body metabolizes food.

Although smoking mostly occurs during leisure time, excessive smoking often increases a person's heart rate. The average heart rate of a smoker is 84 beats per minute, while the average heart rate of a non-smoker is 72 beats per minute.

Once you stop smoking, your metabolism slows down, food is burned more slowly, and you will gain weight.

People who quit smoking often relapse into their cravings, and when various circumstances force them to quit, they feel a sense of emptiness and crave sweet foods.

This is because nicotine lowers insulin levels in the blood, thus reducing cravings for sweets; without the effects of nicotine, insulin levels in the blood often rise, making people more inclined to eat more sweets.

So, can you lose weight by smoking? In fact, no. The harm that smoking does to the human body is far greater than the harm caused by being overweight. A considerable number of patients die from smoking-related diseases.

Is it possible for us Chinese to experience the same thing as Americans? Although we haven't conducted large-scale epidemiological surveys, we have found in clinical practice that many emaciated patients experience a significant improvement in facial radiance after quitting smoking, but their weight does not increase significantly. In some cases, the weight gain is closely related to changes in dietary habits.