While it’s never too late to turn your health around, it’s also never too early to make a difference. One of the scariest parts of childhood obesity is that it can have health repercussions later in adulthood.

Take a recent study, for example. It says that if parents were to feed there children a diet lower in total fat and saturated fat and more fiber, it would help ensure lower glucose levels and lower blood pressure in adulthood. A high fat diet is associated with an increased risk of the metabolic syndrome.
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When I called Drew Manning, he answered the phone noticeably winded, with a couple of apologies about how he’d just run down the stairs and was currently under the weather.

“I haven’t been sick in years,” he told me in a raspy voice.

This might not seem out of character for most people, but for Drew, it’s far from anything he’s ever known. Almost six months ago, Drew had a body most men dream about and women fawn over. His 6’2″ frame weighed 193 pounds, weight that had very little to do with fat and very much to do with a chiseled frame. Today, Drew weighs 263 pounds and his body resembles that of a couch potato.

This past spring, the part-time personal trainer realized he’d been fit and healthy his entire life, and while he helps many clients find their way to fitness, he’s never really walked in their shoes.

“My passion is fitness and I wanted to find more people to influence,” Drew told us in a recent interview. “What if I got fat and showed people how to get in shape? It could be a good learning experience.”

So Drew embarked on a journey that some DIR fans have called idiotic, ridiculous, and crazy. Since May 7, 2011, Drew has intentionally gained 68 pounds, and is documenting the entire experience on his site Fit2Fat2Fit. This is certainly not a permanent lifestyle change for the husband and father, as two weeks from now he’ll turn things around and start working to lose the weight and regain his fit body.
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For many people, drinking the occasional diet soda is perfectly acceptable and harmless. But, there is a mindset that since it’s “diet” and “zero calories,” you can drink as much as you want with no repercussions. Not only is this untrue, you may be provoking a physical response that is completely the opposite of your intentions.

Past studies have shown that people who drink excessive amounts of diet soft drinks not only don’t lose weight, they actually gain weight. It may also be associated with metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

In 2005, there was an eight-year study out of the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio on the effects of diet soda on weight. The study showed a 41 percent increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day.
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As more of our population become obese and overweight, obesity diseases become much more prevalent. Metabolic Syndrome is one such disease, and here I explain what it is, why it affects the overweight, symptoms and prevention.

What is it?

Metabolic syndrome is characterized by several disorders related to your metabolism simultaneously. These disorders/components include obesity (particularly abdominal/waist fat), elevated blood pressure, increased triglyceride level, low HDL “good” cholesterol level, and insulin resistance. Having one of these components means you are more likely to have others; the more components you have the greater risk to your health.

Metabolic Syndrome has had a few names including syndrome X and insulin resistance syndrome. Not all experts agree on the definition of metabolic syndrome or whether it exists as a medical condition. Despite the discrepancies, the severity of possessing this collection of risk factors can lead to serious health complications.

Why is it affected by obesity/overweight?

Obesity is one of the components to this syndrome, therefore it has a huge impact on it. A body mass index (BMI) of greater than 25 increases your risk. BMI is a measure of your percent body fat based on height. Abdominal obesity (fat accumulation in the stomach area), or being “apple-shaped” rather than “pear-shaped,” is another factor increasing your risk of metabolic syndrome.
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