Why Is Belly Fat Dangerous?

When you visit a doctor, he usually checks your weight, pulse and blood pressure. An article in "USA Today" suggests that doctors should also take out a tape measure and measure their patient's waistline. The article, "Belly Full of Danger," was published on February 25, 2003. It discussed the dangers of excess belly fat, which include diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Identification

Some people have pear-shaped bodies. They tend to hold most of their weight in their hips and thighs. People with apple-shaped bodies hold most of their weight in their bellies. They often have excesses of what is known as visceral or intra-abdominal fat as well as excess subcutaneous fat.

Location

Subcutaneous fat is located directly under your skin. Visceral fat is the fat that surrounds the internal organs. Its proximity to the internal organs makes it the more dangerous type of fat.

Theories/Speculation

The "USA Today" article cites various expert sources on the subject of dangerous belly fat. For example, Tim Church, medical director of the Cooper Institute in Dallas, states that if you place subcutaneous fat and visceral fat in a petri dish and stimulate them, the visceral fat will produce the type of inflammatory molecules that can cause insulin resistance, diabetes metabolic syndrome and heart disease.

Expert Insight

Researchers at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, conducted studies about the relationship between inactivity and visceral belly fat. The study was published in the July 2005 edition of the "Journal of Applied Physiology." Exercise physiologist Cris Slentz, Ph.D., lead author of the study, found that the nonexercising control group showed an 8.6 percent increase in visceral fat in a period of 6 months.

Prevention/Solution

The Duke University researchers also found that the group that exercised at a level equivalent to 17 miles of jogging a week showed significant decreases in both visceral and subcutaneous fat. They showed a 6.9 percent decrease in visceral fat and a 7 percent decrease in subcutaneous fat.