Description
Excess body fat is associated with an increased chance of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, stroke, and some cancers. Emotional health and well-being can also be at risk due to societal pressures to be thin.
Can you have too little body fat?
Just as with having too much body fat, there are health risks associated with having too little body fat! Some of these include hypothermia, vitamin toxicity, and cessation of menstrual cycle and osteoporosis in women.
Remember, some fat is necessary. The fat that surrounds the spinal cord, heart, and vital organs is called “essential” fat and is necessary to sustain life. Essential fat makes up approximately 9% to 10% of total body weight in women and 2% to 3% in men.
