BIOBANK – Turning Britain’s fat into stem cells

Tackling obesityExcess accumulation of fat in the body. seems simple. Eat less, exercise more, lose weight. But, for many severely overweight people, diets and exercise just don’t work. Furthermore, repeated attempts lead to the yo-yoing of short-term success followed by inevitable weight-gain, resulting in frustration, despair and worsening health. Obesity is a growing problem worldwide and the number of people looking for a solution to reduce their weight is soaring. Obesity not only reduces life expectancy but it is also associated with a 40% higher risk of developing cancerAbnormal, uncontrolled cell division resulting in a malignant tumour that may invade surrounding tissues or spread to distant parts of the body.. Weight loss can prevent this and lead to a dramatic improvement in obesity-related diseases such as diabetesA disorder caused by insufficient or absent production of the hormone insulin by the pancreas, or because the tissues are resistant to the effects., high blood pressureThe pressure of blood within the arteries., heart disease and high cholesterolA substance present in many tissues and an important constituent of cell membranes although high concentrations of a certain type of cholesterol in the blood are unhealthy.. Treating obesity can also reverse infertility in women and can improve the results of surgeries such as knee and hip replacements.