| It's been about a year since I last published an | | | | As the alternative name "abdominal fat" implies, |
| article on the subject of visceral fat, and the | | | | visceral fat is located in the abdominal cavity and |
| information just keeps accumulating. I was thinking | | | | surrounds several major organs. Unlike |
| about it just the other day. A few minutes later, I | | | | "subcutaneous fat" which is found below the skin, |
| picked up my latest copy of "Exercise for Men | | | | visceral fat secretes inflammatory hormones |
| Only", and there on page 46 was a column by Dr. | | | | which can cause organ damage (heart, kidney, |
| Sam Sugar (I don't make this up) entitled, | | | | brain) at a cellular level. So, while obesity in general |
| "Obesity is Bad For the Brain". | | | | is a problem to be dealt with, visceral fat (belly |
| That was a new one on me, so I read the article, | | | | fat) in particular demands immediate and special |
| made some notes, and did some research. Sure | | | | attention. |
| enough, a study conducted at the University of | | | | You Might Have Belly Fat If: |
| Florida (I flunked out of archrival Florida State | | | | Belly fat, visceral fat, abdominal fat...whatever...can |
| University in '66, myself) came to the conclusion | | | | really only be effectively located and measured |
| that obesity in very young children could be linked | | | | by MRI. One rule of thumb, however, is that if a |
| to diminished intelligence in later years. Other | | | | man has a waist larger than 40 inches, or a |
| studies by such organizations as Kaiser | | | | woman has a waist more than 35 inches, they |
| Permanente, and additional information from | | | | are probably carrying a dangerous amount of |
| Harvard Medical School, and sites such as helped | | | | visceral fat. To make matters worse, if |
| fill in some blanks. | | | | something is not done, visceral fat may |
| My curiosity was piqued by this thing about the | | | | accumulate at a rate of four pounds a year, and, |
| brain being affected by obesity and visceral fat. | | | | above age 45 in men, 55 in women, the risks |
| Therefore, I went digging for a little more info to | | | | increase with age as well. |
| update what I had written back in ought-6, and | | | | The Solution: |
| found that as I stated then, visceral fat was sure | | | | Some things, you just cannot do a thing about. |
| enough a bad thing to have. What I didn't expect | | | | Genetics, for example, accounts for anywhere |
| was a couple of new problems I uncovered. | | | | from 30 percent to 60 percent of your tendency |
| The Dangers: | | | | to accumulate belly fat. On the other hand, some |
| Visceral fat, also known as belly fat, abdominal | | | | things such as diet, level of activity (yes, I AM |
| fat, or intra-abdominal fat, has been known for | | | | talking about exercise), and smoking are within |
| some time to be a "usual suspect" in many cases | | | | your control and can be the deciding factors in |
| of coronary disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, and a | | | | the battle against abdominal fat. |
| nasty little thing known as "Metabolic Syndrome". | | | | Simply watching what you eat can be a step in |
| Metabolic syndrome is a condition in which the | | | | the journey to rid yourself of belly fat, but it |
| individual experiences a combination of insulin | | | | seldom works well by itself. While such actions as |
| resistance, elevated cholesterol and hypertension | | | | switching from saturated fats to unsaturated fats |
| (high blood pressure). Since none of these things is | | | | (corn oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, fish) can |
| good by itself and can contribute to other | | | | produce good results in helping reduce visceral fat, |
| problems such as diabetes and heart disease, it's | | | | combating obesity at any level almost always |
| plain that having all three at one time is a triple | | | | involves a combination of healthy eating habits |
| threat...and I DO mean threat. | | | | and regular exercise. |
| I covered a lot of this in my other article, but | | | | Studies show that regular exercise done at least |
| what I was not aware of at the time was the | | | | five times a week for at least 30 minutes at a |
| info mentioned above that obesity, of which | | | | time is going to be the lowest level that can be |
| visceral fat is obviously a deadly component, is | | | | used to reverse the accumulation of belly fat for |
| being linked to not only diminished intelligence in | | | | most people. Lower intensity exercise or exercise |
| children, but may be a factor (only "may" so far) | | | | done less often may stop the addition of |
| in the development of Alzheimer's in our senior | | | | abdominal fat, but will usually not reduce it. In fact, |
| population. | | | | some studies have shown that as little as ten |
| Obesity in general, and visceral fat as a particularly | | | | minutes a day could be enough to stop the |
| villainous part of that, can, over time, cause | | | | accumulation of belly fat. |
| damage to our kidneys, heart, eyes, arteries, and, | | | | Visceral fat is not only unsightly, but it can be |
| yes, even our brains. In fact, a Swedish study | | | | deadly as we have seen. However, the same |
| linked high body mass index (BMI) to increased | | | | tools of proper nutrition and regular exercise, |
| risk of actual brain tissue loss in areas which | | | | which are important for overall health and weight |
| control language, memory, and hearing. | | | | management, can be used to combat belly fat as |
| Visceral Fat: | | | | well. |