Excess weight compromises immunity

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

There doesn't have to be a lot of a good person. In particular, Australian scientists once again warn about the need to maintain normal body weight. As the researchers explain, being overweight seriously compromises immunity.

Our immune system is made up of many different types of cells that protect the body from germs, viruses, and other "enemies." Scientists explain that immune cells need to coexist in a certain balance to maintain good health. Many factors, including unhealthy diet and excess body fat, upset this important balance, transforming immune cells into attacking rather than protecting our bodies.

Excess body fat, especially abdominal fat, triggers the production of "pro-inflammatory" immune cells that circulate in the blood and are harmful to health. In addition, other inflammatory cells of the immune system, known as macrophages, are also activated in adipose tissue.

Australian physicians examined the condition of obese and diabetic patients who had been fed 1000-1600 calories per day for 24 weeks, AMI-TASS reported. Excess fat negatively affected the functioning of the immune system, and maintaining normal levels of physical activity and healthy eating, on the contrary, reduced the action of pro-inflammatory T cells by 80%, and also decreased the activity of other immune cells (monocytes and neutrophils), including macrophages in adipose tissue, established by endocrinologists at the Institute for Medical Research in Sydney.

However, this does not mean that people suffering from obesity should immediately go on a strict diet and work out in the gym until they go crazy. Moderate weight loss of around 6 kilograms is enough to normalize the pro-inflammatory properties of immune cells, clinicians say.