Aside from overloading joints and interfering with breathing, excess fat cells overproduce hormones that alter metabolism, and when swollen, they become invaded by white blood cells that ignite chronic low-grade inflammation, damaging tissues throughout the body. Big deposits of enlarged fat cells in and around organs (so-called visceral, abdominal, or organ fat) are especially hazardous because they react sensitively to hormones and connect more directly to the bloodstream.
