How to determine when weight gain becomes a health risk. How to get accurate results from home medical tests. Friendships reduce emotional and physical health risks, but time spent with friends is declining. If adulthood has brought with it an extra 10 or 20 pounds, you re not alone.
Most adults gain a few pounds every decade.
If your excess weight settled around your middle, giving you an apple shape, you may be at increased risk for diabetes, coronary artery disease and cancer. According to the July issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource, even very thin apples run the same health risks as obese apples. That s because fat in your abdomen is more likely to break down and enter your blood where it can clog your arteries. The BMI estimates how much body mass, including fat, you have. The instructions for these tests can be found in the enclosed copy of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource.