Can I Get Rid Of My Belly Through Cardio?

Half of Americans have too much belly fat, says Rachel Whitmer of the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in the March 27, 2008, issue of USA Today. You cannot spot reduce your belly fat. You must take measures to slim down your entire body. Cardio exercise is an important part of this weight-loss strategy.

Significance

Being overweight is unhealthy, but holding a lot of that fat in your belly may put you at even bigger health risks. Belly fat is metabolically active, meaning it produces hormones and chemicals that can increase rates of disease throughout the body. A waist size over 40 inches for men or 35 inches for women greatly increases your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, some cancers, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and dementia, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Cardio's Potential

Belly fat is often the first fat you lose when you drop weight, according to MayoClinic.com. Cardiovascular exercise helps you burn extra calories during the day, meaning that you do not have to be overly restrictive with your diet. In addition, cardiovascular exercise helps improve your heart's health and contributes to the development of lean muscle, so you look more toned and healthy as you lose your belly.

Considerations

Cardio exercise can help you lose weight and belly fat, as long as it causes you to burn more calories than you consume. Even if you run for 45 minutes and burn 400 calories, this cannot make up for poor dietary choices. If you continue to eat more calories than you burn, or eat to replace the calories you burn through exercise, you cannot lose belly fat. A low-calorie diet can help you accelerate loss of fat at your abdomen.

Scientific Evidence

A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology from 2005 found that jogging 20 miles per week resulted in a significant loss of belly fat, while exercising less did not affect belly fat and a lack of exercise resulted in additional gains. The journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise reported a study from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville in November 2008 that exercise intensity also affects your body's ability to lose belly fat. In this study of 27 overweight women, those who exercised at the highest intensity lost the most belly fat despite the fact that all of the workouts, regardless of the intensity, were time adjusted to burn 400 calories.

Options

Jogging is not your only option for exercise to target belly fat. Any type of exercise that continually raises your heart rate for an extended period of time helps you burn calories and lose weight. Try aerobic dance, kickboxing, cycling, brisk walking or swimming.