Abdominal obesity is a serious threat to your health. More than just unsightly flesh, it's an active force within you, elevating your risk for disease. Treatment of abdominal obesity follows a typical diet and exercise prescriptions, which are escalated in the presence of problems like diabetes and high blood cholesterol. In 2011, omega-3 fatty acids are emerging as a promising adjunct to obesity treatment. Although not yet formally prescribed or part of mainstream treatment guidelines, research is encouraging that omega-3s may influence your appetite, help you burn more fat and reduce inflammation.
About Omega-3s
Omega-3s are called essential fatty acids because your body needs them but has limited ability to make them on its own. By now you've heard the name and seen omega-3 plastered over foods in your grocery store. The acids individually are alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. They are best known as ALA, EPA and DHA, respectively, and they are a class of polyunsaturated fats. Omega-3s are found in fatty fish like salmon and halibut, algae and krill, as well as in plants, nuts, seeds and oils. Omega-3s are all the rage because they are heart healthy, promote brain health, reduce inflammation, lower your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer and help manage conditions like type 2 diabetes and problems with blood lipids.
Abdominal Obesity
Excess belly fat is not only regarded as a cosmetic scourge, it's also seriously harmful to your health. Belly fat tends to be visceral, or deeply embedded within the abdominal cavity. There it surrounds some of your internal organs, and it can literally "feed" fat to your liver. Abdominal fat is linked with increased risk for heart disease. It is part of the definition of metabolic syndrome. In addition, abdominal obesity promotes insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes. Abdominal fat responds well to exercise and diet. There's increasing evidence that consuming more omega-3 fatty acids might be an important ingredient for your recipe to rid belly fat.
Improved Satiety
Spanish researchers determined that omega-3 fatty acids changed the eating habits of obese people in their study. Publishing in the November 2008 issue of "Appetite," the researchers state the fats improved satiety and lowered study subjects' hunger sensations. The subjects reported feelings of fullness up to two hours after eating. The researchers suggested omega-3s might be a useful part of obesity treatment to help patients avoid cheating on their diets.
Enhanced Fat Burning
In a meta-analysis, researchers from the International Omega-3 Learning and Education Consortium for Health & Medicine said obese women with diabetes who consumed omega-3s showed significantly reduced body fat. They also had improved blood lipid profiles. The researchers said their total fat mass and the size and diameter of individual fat cells were reduced with their treatment. They also found many improvements when the omega-3s came from fish and seafood sources. In addition to improving satiety, marine omega-3s were associated with greater weight loss.
Reduced Inflammation
In a British study, omega-3s, when taken with another kind of fat known as conjugated linoleic acid, prevented abdominal fat accrual, improved fat-free mass and increased the secretion of a hormone called adiponectin. This hormone is an important fighter of abdominal obesity---as well as insulin resistance and diabetes. Adiponectin, says noted cardiologist Mehmet Oz, reduces stress and inflammation and works with the hormone leptin, which controls your appetite and tells your body when to burn more calories. Dr. Oz says that people with low levels of adiponectin have higher levels of abdominal obesity, but more adiponectin means less fat.
References
- International Omega-3 Learning and Education Consortium for Health and Medicine; Omega-3 Fatty Acids -- A Role in Reducing Obesity and Diabetes?; Jeffrey Kim and Bruce A. Watkins
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Omega-3 Fatty Acids; Steven Ehrlich; June 25, 2009
- "Appetite"; A Diet Rich In Long Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids Modulates Satiety In Overweight And Obese Volunteers During Weight Loss; Delores Parra et al.; Nov. 2008
- "Obesity"; Effect of a Conjugated Linoleic Acid and -3 Fatty Acid Mixture on Body Composition and Adiponectin; Alan A. Sneddon et al.; May 2008
- Medical News Today; Dangerous Visceral Fat Builds Up If You Don't Exercise, Can Go Down If You Do; Sept. 15, 2005
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: Evidence Report; Oct. 2000
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