Several American experts have warned of the risks of an accumulation of abdominal fat. They also unveiled their tips for identifying this excess fatty tissue.
- There are two types of abdominal fat: visible fat that forms a kind of buoy around the waist, and visceral fat that surrounds the organs.
- Visceral fat is the most dangerous for the body, because it promotes heart disease, the risk of diabetes, sleep disorders and certain cancers.
Visceral fat is characterized by an accumulation of fatty tissue located in the abdomen below the muscles of the abdominal wall. This excess abdominal fat is detrimental to health, as it can disrupt the functioning of organs, promote insulin resistance, weaken the cardiovascular system and increase the risk of inflammation.
Excessive alcohol consumption promotes the accumulation of visceral fat
“We know it’s not healthy to have excess body fat. But certain types of fat can be even more harmful, especially if we develop too much of it. Visceral fat, which is stored around the organs, can contribute to a series of health problems such as heart disease, dementia and cancer (…) It surrounds your major organs, including the liver, pancreas and kidneys”, explained Doctor Brian Fisher, general practitioner, to the magazine Eat this, not that!
Several factors can promote excess abdominal fat. The first cause mentioned by Joanna Wen, certified weight loss coach at Spices & Greens: excessive alcohol consumption. The excess calories present in alcohol are mainly stored as fat in the abdominal area. An imbalance of the intestinal microbiota as well as regular episodes of stress can also lead to excess visceral fat.
Waist circumference, BMI, blood sugar… how to identify excess adipose tissue?
Examinations can diagnose an accumulation of visceral fat. This is particularly the case for blood tests. “It’s important that people get blood tests every year. High estradiol levels in men are linked to abdominal fat. High levels of visceral fat are also associated with metabolic syndrome, a combination of lipid abnormalities, hypertension, and glucose intolerance.” advocated Kent Probst, personal trainer and physical therapist.
Also called abdominal circumference (AP), waist circumference is a measure of visceral fat. “A waist of 35 inches [ndlr 88.9 cm] or more for women and 40 inches [ndlr 101.6 cm] or more for men indicates excess visceral fat. This puts you at significant risk for heart disease and diabetes.” clarified Joanna Wen.
The body mass index (BMI) is a tool for determining a person’s corpulence. Depending on your weight and your height, the BMI allows you to be placed in a weight category (thin, normal, overweight, obese). “A BMI of 30 or more indicates obesity, which means the amount of body fat is higher than normal”, underlined the coach. In some cases, visceral fat also causes insulin resistance. A too high blood sugar level can therefore alert on this excess of adipose tissue.
