People whose weight fluctuates often are putting themselves at serious risk of developing gallstones.
Athletes who cycle weight (intentionally gaining then losing weight) for competition are dramatically increasing their chances of developing stones such as gallstones.
Research about Yo-Yo Weight Fluctuation and the Chance of Gallstones
University of Kentucky Medical Center performed a research study of over 25000 men.
Men reported any change in weight over a period of four years and were then grouped into one of four categories:
- People who maintained their original weight
- Those who were lightly cycled (a five to nine pound fluctuation)
- The one who cycled moderately (a ten to nineteen pound fluctuation)
- and those who heavily cycled (more than twenty pound fluctuation)
The results of this study, published in the Archives of Internal medicine are rather alarming.
When compare to the subjects who maintained their original weight throughout the period, those who fell into the light category were twenty-one percent more likely to develop a stone.
People in the moderate category were up thirty-eight percent over those who maintained.
Although, the heavy cycle category was over seventy-five percent more likely to develop a stone than the maintainers.
Researchers indicate that the most likely cause comes from the weight gain portion of the cycling due to the fact that the majority of the weight returning is in the form of body fat.
Large swings in weight, particularly body fat can cause metabolic abnormalities that may result in the development of gallstones.
Often gallstones will go unnoticed, having no physical symptoms to speak of, but can in certain instances, lead to a blockage or infection.
At this point it will requiring surgery or other medical treatment to rectify.
If a stone is obstructing the gall bladder, there will be severe pain in the upper right side of the abdomen.
The pain comes and goes in muscular contractions as the body tries to rid itself of the stone.
Symptoms of Gallstones
Other symptoms of gallstones can include;
1- Mild pain under the right hand side of the rib-cage, often appearing after the consumption of foods that are high in fat.
2- If a stone or stones completely obstruct the gall bladder and infection occurs the person could develop a fever and jaundice.
Who are at Risk of Developing Gallstones because of Yo Yo Weight Fluctuation?
Many amateur and professional athletes, particular those involved in combat sports like;
- Boxing
- Wrestling
- and martial arts cycle their weight intentionally to prepare for competition.
They will lose sometimes fifteen or twenty pounds in a very brief period of time to make weight for a match or fight.
The intention here is simple;
If they lose enough weight by the contests weigh in, they would probably find themselves in competition against a naturally smaller and therefore weaker opponent.
Once the weigh in is over the competitor is free to gain back whatever weight he lost in preparation for the contest.
However, most of which will come back as body fat.
There by increasing the future chance of developing gallstones by as much as seventy-five percent.
Moreover, If trainers and promoters had access to this information and could make it public to their competitors;
Maybe the competitors would be more likely to compete at their natural body weight.
It’s not only eliminating this increased risk for developing gallstones;
Still eliminating a host of other problems consistent with yo-yo weight fluctuation.
A Weighty Problem, You Are What You Eat
As most people know being overweight can cause many problems in your life. The main one is heart problems but it can also cause a good many side effects such as back problems, digestive problems and stress etc.
Of course we all know that being overweight is caused by over eating, lack of exercise or eating the wrong types of food.
Food is the biggest problem, of course we all have to eat to live, but the problem is not how much we eat, but what we eat.
These days, healthy eating is pushed to the forefront of our minds by all the posters and television programs demanding we eat more fruit and vegetables which is what we should be eating, but too many people in this day and age live on fast food and easy to prepare menu’s that usually contain too much fat and salt.
Like many other things food can become an addiction or an obsession, especially if you feel depressed, lonely or just plain bored.
At the start you eat because it’s the easiest thing to do, sweets, chocolate, cakes, sandwiches, in fact anything that you feel will make you feel better.
That is when the weight starts piling on because you are so busy eating you can’t be bothered to exercise, unless it is just to go to your local shop for more food or chocolate.
One day you wake up and find you are not just overweight but just plain fat and that makes you more depressed and miserable.
You are what you eat.
Its quite true, you are what you eat and any fleeting thoughts you had about healthy eating go out of the window when you start shoveling the food down.
Healthy eating is not just to keep you slim it is also to keep you healthy as well.
Apart from becoming overweight the risk of chronic diseases attacking you is much higher, those vitamins that fruit and vegetables contain are not even thought about as you snack away on unhealthy and fattening foods.
You are on your way to obesity and all the chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and certain cancers that love an unhealthy body.
If you have just started on the slippery slope of piling the pounds on, stop right now. If eating is the only thing that consoles you then look at what you are eating.
Therefore, If you are into sandwiches then change over to wholemeal bread, get a low fat spread and think twice about what you are putting on your sandwiches.
This is your body and the only one you will ever have in this lifetime so look after it.
Do some soul searching and get rid of the demons in your mind, if its boyfriend trouble then the old saying is quite true.
There’s plenty more fish in the sea. And if you have money worries work out ways to solve the problem, and remember all the worrying in the world won’t help one single bit, so stop worrying and use your energies to work out ways to get over it.
