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Troublesome Body Fat Is Simple To Outrun

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 29, 2008

There is no doubt an expanding waistline is a key predictor of health problems.

Visceral fat, which accumulates around the midsection and internal organs, contributes to the risk of heart disease, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Evidence also is mounting that visceral fat may contribute to increased risk of stroke and colon and breast cancer.

Thin to normal weight individuals can carry unhealthy levels of visceral fat if they choose foods high in saturated fat, trans fats and sugar, causing visceral fat levels to increase. A person who over-consumes calories but makes better food choices and is active, even if overweight, can carry lower levels of visceral fat.

Checking your hip to waist ratio is one way to help determine health status.

To measure your waist-to-hip ratio, place a soft measuring tape at the level of the top of the hipbones, record the number of inches, and then measure your waist at or just above the belly button. Then, divide your waist circumference by your hip circumference. Hip ratio should be below 0.8 for a woman and below 1.0 for a man.

Thankfully, visceral fat can easily be decreased. Exercising just 30 minutes, six days a week can help prevent additional accumulation of visceral fat, and doing more than this can reverse the amount present.

Both resistance training and cardio are recommended to burn visceral fat most effectively. Studies have shown that even with moderate weight loss of 5 percent to 10 percent, visceral fat levels can be reduced 30 percent or more.

Dayton (Ohio) Daily News

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