The extra pounds that are measured around the stomach are not the most dangerous for health. Visceral fat, which cannot be seen or felt, affects the heart, liver, and abdominal organs. As Danish researchers already concluded in a previous study, weight or body mass index (BMI) can no longer determine whether a person is in good health, because these data do not take this “hidden” fat into account. .
To combat this adiposity lodged deep in the belly, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center analyzed two types of solutions: lifestyle modification, with regular physical activity, as well as taking medication. Their results, published in the medical journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings at the beginning of February, are final. The most effective way to fight internal visceral fat is still exercise.
Prevent obesity-related diseases
The researchers investigated whether these interventions, both sports and medication, reduced visceral fat or just that lodged on the surface. To do this, they measured the changes in adipose tissue over a six-month period, obtained by MRI and PET-Scan, in 3,602 women aged 31 on average. The participants were separated into two groups. Either they performed supervised exercises or they tested the pharmacological solution. Ultimately, physical activity resulted in a greater reduction in visceral fat than using medication.
“Some people who are obese will have heart disease, diabetes or metabolic syndrome, others will not. Our study suggests that a combination of approaches can help reduce visceral fat and potentially prevent these diseases ”, concludes Dr. Ian J. Neeland, lead study author and cardiologist on the UT Southwestern Medical Center site.
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