All fat is not equal. Scientists now see the excess fat around one's waist as a more dangerous health threat than fat stored in other parts of the body. This abdominal fat can lead to an increased risk for health problems such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

"Historically fat was seen as a storage depot for excess energy, but research now demonstrates that fat tissue actually acts as an endocrine organ with the ability to secrete hormones and other inflammatory chemicals that can effect the kidneys, liver, heart and blood vessels," says Dr. Judith Radin, an obesity research veteran and American College of Veterinary Pathologist (ACVP) member. "The close proximity of abdominal fat stores to vital organs may be why this tissue is more dangerous than fat found in other areas of the body."

Radin's research examines obesity's effects on heart function and blood pressure and her studies show that hormones released by fat tissue can sometimes lead to health problems. For example, blood vessel and the kidney function can change because of these hormones, thereby increasing blood pressure.

Dr. Leslie Sharkey, a fellow ACVP member with 14 years of research expertise, explains, "Pro-inflammatory chemicals released by fat tissue can influence other areas of the body, so we now look at obesity as an inflammatory disease. These inflammatory cells are what make up heart attack-causing plaque."

But it's not just what's on the inside that counts -- looking externally at people's waist-to-hip ratios may be an indicator of their heart disease risk, according to a Tuft's University study. This ratio is calculated by dividing the waist measurement by that of the hip.

Men, who generally tend to carry their fat stores primarily in their midsection, are more likely to suffer heart disease if their waist-to-hip ratio is at or above .9. A woman's healthy waist-to-hip ratio is .85 or below.

Aside from its location, abdominal fat tissue may also pose a more serious health threat by behaving differently than fat tissue located elsewhere in the body. According to Sharkey, evidence shows that this fat tissue may not respond to insulin, which could lead to type 2 diabetes, which, paired with type 1 diabetes, is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. The American Heart Association Web site reports that of the nation's nearly 14 million diabetics, 50 percent of male sufferers and 70 percent of female sufferers are obese.

Despite the unhealthy consequences of being obese, there's no reason to give up hope. "It's important to remember that the effects of obesity are reversible. Relatively good scientific evidence shows that problems related to this condition can go away or become much less severe when people lose weight," says Sharkey.

As scientists learn more about how obesity leads to negative health effects, they also become better equipped to find therapies to treat and prevent these problems. Veterinary pathologists are helping to discover tailored treatments through broadening the understanding of how genetics influences obesity. They increase scientists' knowledge of obesity and their research findings are often applicable to humans.

Courtesy of ARAcontent