Abdominal fat corresponds to the fat located in the abdomen. There are two types of abdominal fat: subcutaneous fat which is stored just under the skin, and visceral fat which corresponds to the adipose tissue which is lodged under the abdominal muscles. Excessive visceral fat is harmful to your health.
How to spot visceral fat?
Unlike subcutaneous fat which is visible because it forms a bulge, visceral fat is deep and therefore invisible to the naked eye. In practice, there is a simple and inexpensive way to assess the level of visceral fat. “It consists of measuring the waist circumference using a seamstress centimeter. If the waist circumference is greater than 88cm in women and 102cm in men, the presence of visceral fat is proven. explains Dr Olivier Dupuy.
What causes abdominal fat?
“The storage of fat in the stomach is primarily linked to poor lifestyle (unbalanced diet, sedentary lifestyle and lack of sleep)”, indicates the specialist. Other factors may also be involved:
- Taking certain medications over a long period of time (antidepressants, corticosteroids, hormonal treatment);
- Some diseases such as hypothyroidism and PCOS;
- Hormonal upheavals: taking the pill, pregnancy, menopause.
What are the risks of abdominal fat?
The risks of abdominal fat are mainly cardiovascular. Visceral fat is responsible for increased levels of bad cholesterol (LDL), high blood pressure, sleep apnea, NASH (fatty liver disease) and type 2 diabetes. In the long term, cardiovascular diseases (heart failure, heart attack, stroke, arteritis, etc.) can occur. “Visceral fat also represents a major criterion of metabolic syndrome. In general, being overweight leads to a significant increase in the prevalence of cancers (breast cancer in women, cancers of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, thyroid, and cervix). warns the endocrinologist.
How to eliminate abdominal fat?
To eliminate abdominal fat, it is essential to act on the three factors that promote its storage: diet, physical activity and sleep. In practice, it is recommended to reduce your caloric intake by favoring quality foods: fruits and vegetables, proteins (meat, fish, eggs), starchy foods, legumes and dairy products. The important thing is to ban industrial products that contain added sugars and fats. In terms of sport, it is recommended to practice endurance physical activity (at least 2 hours per week) to burn fat, and weight training to increase basic metabolism and increase the body’s energy expenditure (2 to 3 times per week). . Walking 10,000 steps per day turns out to be the optimum level (WHO) to combat a sedentary lifestyle.
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