What is visceral fat?
This is the intra-abdominal fat located inside the peritoneal cavity. This fat is packed between the internal organs as opposed to the fat just below the skin and intramuscular fat which is found interspersed in skeletal muscles. This is the white fat that is deposited internally around the kidneys, liver, pancreas, heart, and intestines. This excess internal fat is known as central obesity in which the abdomen protrudes excessively. This is apple-shaped obesity.
What is the brown fat and white fat?
Brown fat can be found in the lower neck in adults, collar bones, kidneys, and spinal cord. Lean people have more brown fat than overweight individuals. Brown fat breaks down blood sugar and fat molecules to treat heat and maintain body temperature. White fat stores energy and calories while brown fat makes us lean by burning fats and cal°. Aries. Brown fat is often referred to as good fat. White fat is found beneath the skin and in the abdominal cavity. Too much white fat leads to obesity. Excess of either fat is harmful.
When did the research on abdominal obesity begin?
In the 1980 s, it was first realized that abdominal obesity was more responsible for cardiovascular illnesses, diabetes, and cancers than those with no abdominal obesity. In the early 1990s with powerful Dexa scans and imaging techniques like CT scans
What about Alzheimer’s disease and obesity?
There is a strong correlation between midlife obesity and dementia. There is almost 10 times the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in centrally obese individuals. Obesity is also associated with knee pains, back pains, and osteoarthritis.
How to measure abdominal obesity?
There are various ways of estimating abdominal obesity. Absolute waste Cir-Abdominal obesity, also known as central obesity and truncated obesity is a growing concern. Excessive visceral fat around the stomach and abdomen is deleterious for health. Abdominal obesity hat is apple-shaped obesity and is strongly linked with cardiovascular diseases, other metabolic disorders like Diabetes, high cholesterol, heart diseases, stroke, Polycystic ovarian disease, some cancers, and Alzheimer’s diseases. The pear-shaped obesity that is fat on the hips and buttocks has no additional risk. of the abdomen that helped to understand the risks involved with excess fat in our body.
What are the risks associated with abdominal obesity?
Abdominal obesity is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, hypertension and diabetes, higher cholesterol values, and certain cancers. Infra abdominal fat depots convey the maximum risk. Increased severity of asthma and obstructive sleep apnea is common with abdominal obesity. conference of more than 40 inches or 102 ems in men and more than 88 ems or 35 inches in women is abdominal obesity. The waist-hip ratio, that is the circumference of the waist divided by the hip of more than 0.9 for men and more than 0.85 for women is abdominal obesity. The BMI which is the ratio of height and weight gives an idea about overall obesity, while waist measurement gives you information about intra-abdominal fat. There are higher economic costs involved in terms of health management if you have excessive abdominal girth.
What is the role of diet?
Excess storage of fat due to low-calorie expenditure and increased intake is the main cause. However right from childhood days, an increased intake of fructose may lead to visceral obesity, impaired fat metabolism, and decreased insulin sensitivity. Intake of trans fats leads to obesity. Excess mutton intake can lead to abdominal obesity while fish is healthy. Increased intake of soy protein is helpful. Excess intake of alcohol and smoking is a real disaster. In the Indian context excess intake of carbohydrates and low intake of proteins and a sedentary lifestyle increase the risk of abdominal obesity.
What is the solution for abdominal obesity?
Self-motivation in terms of low-calorie intake and regular exercise is a must. Adjunctive therapy may include Orlistat or Bariatric surgery. Combing cardiovascular aerobic exercise with resistance training is more effective than cardiovascular training alone. Exercises reduce stress and insulin levels and reduce the presence of cortisol which leads to belly fat deposition and leptin resistance.
Our country is likely to be the most populous country in the world. Unfortunately, India is the Diabetes capital of the world. !Titre abdominal obesity is an important risk for Diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol levels, some cancers, and Alzheimer’s disease. It should be avoided or treated aggressively for its obvious health benefits.
