Three good reasons to lose weight

A spare tyre increases your risk of Alzheimer’s.

Being overweight – especially once you get to your forties – can raise your chances of dementia later in life, according to recent research.A Swedish team found that middle-aged spread may lead to memory loss and other cognitive problems.They came to the conclusion after analysing studies carried out over 30 years on more than 8000 twins. The research backs up a US review two years ago which found that obese people had an 80% increased risk of all types of dementia.Experts don’t know just why this is, although they suspect high blood pressure and hardening of arteries may play a part.Previous research has also shown that carrying excess fat around your abdomen is particularly bad for the brain. Extra weight in this area may contribute to mental decline.Meanwhile, being overweight or obese is linked with depression and a lack of exercise, both of which are associated with memory problems later in life.

Having a “muffin top” makes you more likely to have a heart attack.

They’re not a good look. But not only are “muffin tops” (when rolls of fat spill over the top of your waistband) bad for your image, they could also spell disaster for your heart. Fat around your belly can double the risk of dying to a heart attack or stroke, say scientists.A new US study found a layer of flab around the stomach can be as dangerous as smoking a packet of cigarettes a day or having very high cholesterol. The results back up other studies that have concluded heart problems are not just due to how much fat you have, but where it is located.This is because fat carried around your middle is more metabolically active than that stored in other parts of the body (like your thighs) and can affect cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar. High levels of these can impact on your health.

Being fat may make you more prone to breast cancer.

Doctors have known for some time that being obese can boost the risk of oestrogen-fuelled breast cancers.Now they believe it may also contribute to a particularly aggressive type of breast cancer that doesn’t need oestrogen to grow.A new US study of over 150,000 women found those with the highest body mass indexes (BoIs) have a greater chance of getting an aggressive postmenopausal breast cancer, known as triple negative, than those with lower BoIs. They also have a greater risk of other breast cancers.Although triple negative cancer is less common than other types, women diagnosed with it tend to have a poor prognosis.

Did you know?

oeasuring your waist can be a good indication of whether you’re carrying unhealthy fat around your middle. Women should be aiming for a waist circumference of less than 88cm.