I Suppose Sucking in My Gut Will Not Help

Fat Found to Accelerate the Aging Process

Obesity Adds Equivalent of Nine Years to Appearance of Cells, Study Says

By Rob Stein, Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 14, 2005; A02

Scientists have produced the first direct evidence that fat accelerates aging, possibly speeding the unraveling of crucial genetic structures inside cells that wither with age.

A team of researchers from the United States and Britain found that the more people weigh, the older their cells appear on a molecular level, with obesity adding the equivalent of nearly nine years of age to a person's body.

The findings suggest that many health problems associated with being overweight -- heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis -- may result from fat cells hastening the natural aging process.