As of 2010, about 65 percent of Americans are overweight, and about one in three people is clinically obese, according to the website obesity.org . While being overweight is a serious medical problem, the distribution of body fat can significantly increase the risks associated with being too heavy. Fat distribution is influenced by hormones and gender, and the location of your body fat can have a significant effect on your risk of developing heart disease, with excess belly fat being one of the main risk factors.
Classification of Body Mass and Obesity
Medical practitioners use body mass index to determine if you are overweight or obese. Body mass index, or BMI, compares your height to your weight by using the calculation of height in meters divided by weight in kilograms squared. A BMI score of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, while a BMI score of 30 or above is classified as obese. While BMI does provide a reliable indicator for obesity, it does not take into account fat distribution sites.
Distribution of Fat
Fat located around the abdominal region or belly is more common in men and is often referred to as an android or apple body shape. Fat distributed around the hips and thighs is more common in women and is called a gynoid or pear body shape. Android fat distribution, sometimes called heart attack fat, presents the greatest risk to health and is often linked to insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes as well as cardiovascular and coronary heart disease, or CHD for short. Android body shape is characterized by a large waist measurement which indicates fat is stored in the abdominal cavity around the internal organs.
Hip-to-Waist Ratio
Your hip-to-waist ratio provides a simple indicator of your degree of android fat accumulation and therefore your risk of obesity-related coronary heart disease. To calculate your hip-to-waist ratio, simply divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. Ideally, your waist should be smaller than your hips. A waist measurement greater than your hip measurement presents an increased risk of CHD.
Waist Measurement
Another simple way to assess risk of coronary heart disease in relation to belly fat is your waist measurement. Men with a waist measurement of less than 37 inches and women with a waist measurement of less than 32 inches are considered to be at low risk. Waist measurements above these figures are classified as high risk for developing CHD, diabetes and other health conditions associated with being overweight.
Solution
Unfortunately, it is not possible to spot reduce fat from your belly by performing specific exercises for that area. Fat accumulates according to hormonal secretions, and no amount of crunches or sit-ups will result in weight loss from the abdominal region. The most effective way to lose belly fat is to adopt a calorie-controlled diet combined with moderate exercise. The shortfall in energy intake will be met by your body fat stores and you will lose weight as a result. Healthy fat loss should be slow and steady to ensure that you do not trigger the starvation response and quickly regain the weight you have lost. Aim for 1 to 2 lbs. per week. Over time, your belly fat will reduce along with the fat stored around the rest of your body, and your risk of suffering CHD and other vascular complications will be reduced.
References
- The Obesity Society: U.S. Obesity Trends
- ExRx: Body Mass Index Calculator
- "ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer;" American College of Sports Medicine; 2009
- ExRx: Hip to Waist Ratio Calculator
