Obese men have a higher risk of injury in head-on car accidents. In a study published in the online journal Public Library of Science Medicine, fat crash dummies were used in a crash simulator; and the findings confirmed data from the National Automotive Sampling System on approximately 11,000 head-on crashes. Obese male drivers had a higher risk of serious injury and of injuries to the head, face, chest and spine. Overweight people had a lower risk of injury and women had more injuries to the abdominal area. In a perfect world this information would help drive down obesity.
Trans fats increase women's risk of sudden cardiac death. After analyzing data from more than 86,000 women in the Nurses' Health Study, Harvard researchers found that women with heart disease whose daily calories exceeded 2.5% trans fats were 3 times more likely to die from sudden cardiac death than women whose daily calories didn't exceed 1% trans fats. Trans fats are in processed foods and fried foods. They raise LDL, the bad cholesterol and lower HDL, the good cholesterol. They also increase heart disease risk, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Trans fats are put in food to extend shelf life - not human life.
However, there is good news for women. Walking reduces stroke risk. A study published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke involved approximately 39,000 female health workers in the Women's Health Study. For 12 years the women, age 45 or older, were periodically asked about their physical activity. After taking into account age, aspirin use, smoking and other variables, women who walked for 2 hours a week - at any pace - had a 30% lower stroke risk. No links between more vigorous activities and reduced stroke risk were found, but another study is needed for men - maybe a "walkmen" study.
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