Now a study of over 16,000 men and women aged 17 and over reports that obesity is associated with a chronic, low-grade, systemic inflammation.
Adipose tissue produces several compounds that play an active role in metabolism.
Estrogen is one. IL-6 is a component of the immune system that stimulates inflammation. The chronic systemic inflammation stimulated by IL-6 can have serious consequences. For example, low-grade systemic inflammation has been shown to increase risk for cardiovascular disease. Over 16,000 adults had body weight and height measured at mobile medical examination centers.