Body fat is not all bad. In fact, 60 percent of the brain is composed of fat, helping the brain function effectively. Fats insulate and protect nerves, and fats help to slow down digestion allowing your body to absorb nutrients. However, according to a 2009 Johns Hopkins Medicine report, an estimated 65 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese, putting them at risk for the negative effects of excess belly fat.
Subcutaneous Belly Fat
Subcutaneous fat sits just below your skin, between your skin and your abdominal wall. It is the fat that you see around your midsection and that you can pinch with your fingers. This fat poses no definable health risk. In fact, a 2004 study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" notes that even after liposuction removed subcutaneous fat in 15 test subjects, the women involved did not see a reduction in their blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol or response to insulin --- the subcutaneous fat was shown not to be involved with those serious conditions.
Visceral Belly Fat
Within the abdomen and surrounding the abdominal organs is visceral fat. This fat cushions the organs of the abdomen --- the stomach, the liver, the kidneys, the pancreas and the spleen. Some visceral fat, called retroperitoneal fat, is also located behind the abdominal cavity.
Heredity and hormones both influence how much belly fat a person has. Women especially gain more visceral fat after menopause when estrogen levels drop and cortisol, a stress hormone that increases belly fat, rises.
Dangers of Belly Fat
Visceral belly fat does not just rest in your belly doing nothing. Abdominal fat cells are biologically active, producing hormones such as leptin and adiponectin. In excess quantities, these hormones may disrupt the normal balance and function of your body's response to insulin, according to the Harvard Medical School website. The website adds that other chemicals, called cytokines, may increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer and high blood pressure.
A November 2010 report in "Lung Disorders" noted that excess belly fat can also affect breathing. The researchers found that the lungs were not able to expand fully because belly fat pushed up against the diaphragm and the chest wall.
Reducing Belly Fat
Luckily, when you lose weight, through exercise and healthy eating, you can also lose belly fat. The Harvard Women's Health Watch newsletter reminds its readers that with exercise, waistlines shrink. Try to exercise vigorously for at least 30 minutes on most days. The newsletter cited a study by researchers at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, who found that women who ate a balanced diet with plenty of calcium gained less visceral fat than others. And a University of Cincinnati study showed that reducing stress helps in reducing the amount of belly fat your body accumulates.
References
- Help Guide: Healthy Dietary Fats
- Johns Hopkins Medicine; More Reasons to Slim Your Tummy; April 2009
- Harvard Medical School: Abdominal Fat and What to Do About It
- Johns Hopkins Medicine; Breathe Better With a Smaller Belly; November 2010
- Harvard Health Publications; Taking Aim at Belly Fat; August 2010
- University of Cincinnati; Relax a Little to Avoid Belly Fat; June 2008
Member Comments