Though blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries) are relatively small, the network is amazingly long. In fact, if they were laid out in a line, they would measure more than 60,000 miles in length!
This is because every cell in your body has to be connected to the blood supply. That’s the body’s highway. It’s how things move around the body, how building materials move in, and waste products move out.
Well, fat tissue requires access to the circulatory system just like every other part of the body. Fat couldn’t get to the fat cells if they weren’t connected to the circulatory system and, therefore, the blood supply. And as fat tissue grows, it requires more blood vessels to grow with them, just like a town must build more streets when it builds more houses.
How much more?
It’s estimated that every pound of fat requires about one extra mile of blood vessels!
For someone who weighs 110 pounds, a one-pound gain is a blip on the radar screen. But for someone who is already 300 pounds, it can put one hell of a burden on the heart and increase the risk for blockages inside blood vessels.
