Your Visceral Fat Is a Serious Impediment to Your Health

Belly fat is a key player in a wide variety of serious health issue — Risks and preventions

Image by Bruno/Germany from Pixaby

Truncal Obesity is an accumulation of fat around the waist area, including the torso. This fat wraps itself around the essential organs around the torso, namely, liver, stomach, kidney, and sometimes the arteries too. Most people call it a beer belly, although it does happen to people who don’t even drink any beer or alcohol.

The Health Risk Associated With Belly Fat

The unfortunate issue here is that it is not just the risk of being overweight, it is associated with, pancreatitis, heart disease, fatty liver, diabetes, breast cancer, and high cholesterol. The location of fat in the body means so much to our health. Visceral fat is skin deep and is different from the subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin) that you can cup with your hands.

The research papers found physical inactivity and poor lifestyle culture as the main cause of abdominal fat. It can, therefore, be tremendously reduced by simple regular exercise healthy eating.

At the point of a woman having more than thirty-five inches in waistline, and men over forty inches in waistline is considered bad and at risk.

‘’One of the most important development is the realization that the fat cell is an endocrine organ secreting hormones and other molecules that have far-reaching effects on other tissues.’’ Dr Barbara B Kahn, Chief endocrinology, diabetics, and metabolism at Beth Deaconess Medical Centre, Boston.

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Visceral fat produces the protein ‘’cytokines’’ which is known to trigger low-level inflammation, the risk for heart disease, and other chronic diseases. It is also a precursor to the production of ‘’angiotensin, a protein that causes the blood vessels to constricts, thereby causing a rise in blood pressure.

Visceral fat is known to secrete more of the retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), a molecule that increases insulin resistance, that is the reason why those with visceral fat is likely to develop diabetes.

Breast Cancer — Both post and premenopausal women with visceral fat are at a greater risk of breast cancer.

Colorectal Cancer — People with visceral fat have a higher risk of colorectal cancer than those without.

Bone Health — Visceral fats tend to make people have weaker bone, and lower bone density, a sign of osteoporosis.

Asthma — The risk of developing asthma is higher for those with a waistline of more than thirty-seven inches.

Dementia — People with visceral fat are at risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's at a later age of over seventy and above.

Body Defence — naturally, the body has its own defense. So visceral fat also produces hormone leptin which suppresses appetite and helps the body to burn the stored fat as energy. It, therefore, controls body weight. While subcutaneous fat produces ‘’ Adiponectin’’, another hormone helps the body control blood sugar level.

How To Prevent Or Reduce Visceral Fat

Luckily, visceral fat is very easy to reduce by a combination of simple daily exercise and healthy eating. Exercise need not be gym-based, but a conscious daily movement, like cycling, dancing, walking and stretching.

Any exercise should be combined with healthy eating and drinking plenty of water, avoid smoking, and get adequate sleep.

Read More Shin Jie Yong

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