Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome: Over a third of obese
individuals have a condition known as metabolic syndrome. This
syndrome combines five parameters: high blood pressure, high
glucose, high triglycerides, low HDL (the good cholesterol), and
a bulging waistline. Most of these people have a resistance to
insulin and may be on the road to adult diabetes. Insulin: This
important hormone allows glucose (sugar) to enter cells. Obese
people may be resistant to insulin so that their glucose is
elevated as well as their insulin. This problem improves a great
deal with weight loss. Leptin: This is a hormone made by fat
cells. In normal people it helps curb the appetite so that we
dont gain too much weight. This mechanism may not work as
efficiently in obese people. Adiponectin: This is another fat
hormone, but this one decreases with weight gain. Higher levels
of adiponectin are desirable because it protects us from heart
attacks. Adiponectin increases as we lose weight. Myoglobin:
This is an important muscle enzyme.