Body fat changes alone do not appear to substantially contribute to poor future physical health. However, they may be stigmatising, uncomfortable or embarrassing and so worry many people when they occur. Persistent changes in fat and sugar metabolism, together with central fat increases however, could increase the risk of heart disease if you also have other risk factors for heart disease (such as smoking or a family history).

Body fat changes may nevertheless have a serious effect on your quality of life. The next section deals with treating body fat changes to improve your quality of life.