Obesity 'lifts inflammation risk'

"Obesity and lack of fitness raise the risk of illness by impacting negatively on the body's internal chemistry, research suggests. A US team found levels of white blood cells were highest in men who were unfit and overweight. White blood cells are key to fighting infection, but high levels can be a sign of inflammation, which is linked to coronary heart disease. The study appears in the British Journal of Sports Medicine" - BBC