Comparing Apples to Pears: Why Excess Belly Fat May Be Damaging Your Health
By
Meghan Vivo
April 02, 2008
Noticing a little extra pudginess around your middle section with each year that passes by? Whether you lovingly refer to it as your spare tire, love handles, or beer belly or grudgingly try to hide it with girdles and other modern torture devices, there’s good reason to be concerned about belly fat. Not only can it increase the risk of a range of diseases and cancers, it recently has been linked to dementia.
Are You at Risk?
It’s an unfortunate fact of life: As we grow older, it becomes harder and harder to win the battle of the bulge. Whether it’s because of heredity, hormonal changes, or aging, body fat tends to redistribute from your arms, legs, and hips to your abdomen over the years, particularly for post-menopausal women.
For years, scientists have observed that an apple-shaped figure (carrying weight in the middle section) is a more serious health risk than a pear-shaped figure (carrying weight in the hips, buttocks, and thighs). This isn’t because of the “fat rolls” you can grab with your hands, but because people with fat bellies are more likely to have large amounts of deep belly fat hidden around their organs. Also known as visceral fat, belly fat is the most dangerous kind. It is linked to high cholesterol, high insulin, high triglycerides, and high blood pressure and has been associated with an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer.
How do you know if you have an unhealthy amount of belly fat? You can monitor your body mass index (BMI), but it’s probably more accurate to simply measure your waist by running a tape measure around your midsection at about the level of your navel. But no cheating: Breathe normally, don’t “suck it in,” and don’t pull the tape so tight that it presses your skin down. As a general rule, men whose waists are wider than 40 inches and women whose waists are wider than 35 inches are at the greatest risk of having an unhealthy amount of belly fat.
Most experts believe the amount of visceral fat in your abdominal region is determined by heredity, though some speculate that diet and hormonal changes come into play. Some studies suggest that abdominal fat also can develop as a result of chronic stress. Stress causes the body to release the hormone cortisol, which appears to stimulate the storage of fat around the abdomen. Whatever the cause, one thing is clear: About 50 percent of American adults have too much belly fat, and it’s affecting our health.
The Link to Dementia
While it may be a well-known fact that being overweight increases the risk of diseases such as stroke, diabetes, and heart disease, a new study published in the journal Neurology has found that excess abdominal fat in midlife nearly triples the risk of developing dementia, even for those that aren’t obese.
Dementia is a syndrome associated with loss of memory and other cognitive functions, commonly associated with aging. It affects 5.7 million Americans, or about 1 in 10 people over age 65. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60 percent to 80 percent of cases.
Researchers in the study measured the abdominal fat of 6,583 people age 40 to 45 in northern California. Roughly 36 years later, 16 percent had developed dementia. Those who were overweight (BMI of 25-29.9) or obese but did not have a big belly had an 80 percent increase in the risk of dementia compared to people with a normal body weight and abdominal fat level. Overweight people with a large belly had a 230 percent increase in the risk of dementia and obese people with a large belly had a 360 percent increase in risk. These results suggest that abdominal fat is a bigger risk factor for dementia than even family history.
Getting Rid of Belly Fat
At this point, you’re probably staring down at your belly, wondering how you can get rid of fat you can’t even see. Unfortunately, there’s no quick-fix solution, and experts warn there isn’t any particular exercise, supplement, or food that can specifically target the abs. Several studies indicate that consuming less calories and exercising regularly are the only ways to significantly decrease belly fat.
Exercise. If you schedule time for daily, moderate-intensity exercise, like a 30-45 minute brisk walk, you may notice that your tummy bulge is one of the first areas to shrink. Consistent, moderate exercise by itself appears to help the body rid itself of deep abdominal fat, even if your weight stays the same.
According to studies, a few weeks of inactivity may be all it takes for visceral fat levels to increase. In one study, researchers monitored 10 healthy, active young men who walked 6,000 to 10,000 steps daily. After reducing their activity level to 1,500 steps per day for two weeks, body scans showed a 7 percent increase in visceral fat deep inside the abdomen, despite the fact that the men didn’t gain any obvious fat. If you are concerned about your level of abdominal fat, talk to your doctor about finding the right diet and exercise regimen to get down to a healthy size. If you need a little boost, consider joining a weight loss camp to get you started.
Strength training. Exercising with weights may be another effective tummy trimmer. While sit-ups merely help tighten abdominal muscles, studies show strength training can actually reduce belly fat. If you want to try a few deep abdominal exercises, practice drawing your belly button inward and upward toward your spine, or do pelvic tilts (bending your pelvis up slightly while lying on your back) and pelvic lifts (tightening your lower abdomen and lifting your buttocks up off the floor while lying on your back). The American College of Sports Medicine asserts that the best way to get a “six pack” is to focus on lowering total body fat through aerobic exercise and diet.
Healthy diet. Cutting calories and portion sizes and altering poor eating habits can help fight belly fat. Start by reading nutrition labels, being careful to avoid or limit saturated fats, processed foods, and simple carbohydrates like white bread and refined pasta. Instead, choose complex carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables and whole grains. In a study of obese adults at risk of heart disease, researchers found that those who trimmed calories and increased their whole-grain intake shed more belly fat than those who ate refined grains. Try to include the following whole grains in your diet:
- Whole wheat
- Whole oats/oatmeal
- Whole-grain corn
- Popcorn
- Brown rice
- Whole rye
- Whole-grain barley
- Wild rice
- Buckwheat
- Bulgur (cracked wheat)
- Millet
If you are trying to slim your middle, drink less alcohol,
sleep 7 to 9 hours a night, and eat plenty of whole grains, fiber, and fruits and vegetables for weight loss. Incorporate a balanced total-body workout that includes cardiovascular exercise and core strength training with squats, lunges, deep abdominal crunches, and pushups. Making a few simple changes can help let the air out of that spare tire once and for all.
Comments
Oh boy I'm in trouble I get allmy weight in my belly.
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