Belly fat interferes with more than your ability to look great in a bikini or snug-fitting shirt -- it can increase your risk for diabetes, cardiovascular problems, strokes and some forms of cancer, including colon cancer. Men with beer bellies and apple-shaped women may be burdened with large amounts of fat around their organs. Men with waistlines larger than 40 inches and women whose waists measure more than 35 inches face particular risk for disease.
Unsupported Claims
If you search the Internet you will find many sites that provide you with a list of foods that purportedly help you reduce belly fat. Depending on which site you look at, you should eat eggs, almonds, berries, apples, salmon, quinoa, oatmeal or olive oil to trim your tummy. Beware of such claims, particularly if they include product endorsements or empirical studies. A study funded by a cereal company, for instance, may be biased for favorable results regarding a brand of cereal and weight loss. Similarly an empirical study -- one based on observation rather than controlled tests -- may create faulty links between a process and results. Scientists may observe that people who eat almonds lose belly fat without isolating almonds as the cause. People who eat potato chips could also lose weight if they reduced their overall calorie intake.
Yogurt
Clinical studies support a possible link between low-fat calcium products and belly fat loss. Michael Zemel, a nutrition professor from University of Tennessee, conducted a study that found a correlation between high calcium intake and fat loss. Zemel, who presented his findings at the 2003 Experimental Biology Meeting in San Diego, California provided participants with either 1,100 mg of calcium or 500 mg daily for 12 weeks. Participants who consumed the higher amount of calcium, including three servings of yogurt, lost 22 percent more weight and 61 percent more fat as compared to the low calcium group. All participants also followed identical, moderately restricted diets.
Green Tea
More than a dozen studies support green tea as a remedy for reducing weight, including belly fat. Among them is a study conducted by Tomonori Nagao and colleagues at the Health Care Food Research Laboratories to discern the connection between green tea, body fat and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Two groups of people were given different levels of green tea that contained high levels of catechins. Participants who drank the most green tea enjoyed the largest decrease in weight, body mass index, body fat ratio, body fat mass, waist circumference, visceral fat and subcutaneous fat.
Considerations
Weight loss supplements such as linoleic acid, bitter orange, country mallow, cranberry, guar gum ad hoodia also get credit for reducing belly fat, although evidence supporting such claims remain slight. Ingredients in weight loss supplements also pose risks, including fatalities. The fact is that there are no short cuts and even surgeries such as liposuction do not guarantee reduced risks of ailments like diabetes and heart ailments. The best way to reduce belly fat remains a combination of a healthy low calorie diet along with regular exercise.
References
- USA Today: Health and Behavior: Belly Full of Danger
- WV Senior Services: Food and Fitness
- The University of Tennesse: Yogurt Increases Fat Loss, UT Study Shows
- "Obesity"; A green tea extract high in catechins reduces body fat and cardiovascular risks in humans; T. Nagao et al; June 2007
- Health Guidance: How to Lose Belly Fat: Latest Secrets from the Research Labs, Part 1
- CVS Health Resources: The Dangers of Belly Fat
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