Having a wide girth unfortunately is more than uncomfortable and unsightly. A beer belly or an apple-shaped figure may mean you have large amounts of deep-hidden belly fat around your internal organs. This fat, also known as visceral fat, may in fact be the most dangerous fat you can have. It has been linked to high cholesterol, high insulin, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, and other health problems. The more belly fat you have, the higher your risk is for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some types of cancer, or for having a stroke.
There's also new research indicating that having an apple-shaped figure may actually be more deadly. A study appearing in The New England Journal of Medicine reported some very disturbing news. Researchers followed about 360,000 Europeans who participated in one of the largest and longest health studies in the world. They found that people with the most belly fat had about double the risk of dying prematurely compared with people with the least amount of belly fat. Men and women with the largest waist circumference (more than 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women) had roughly double the risk of premature death as men and women with the smallest waist circumference (less than 34 inches for men and 28 for women). And with every 2-inch increase in waist circumference, there was an associated increase in mortality—17% in men and 13% in women.
What makes belly fat so dangerous? Well, it seems to be the type of fat that goes straight to the liver to be metabolized into cholesterol. LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood and contributes to the development of arterial plaque and narrowing of the arteries. Visceral fat also produces more inflammation in the body than fat found in other areas of the body. And inflammation is thought to play a key role in heart disease and a host of other chronic diseases. New research also suggests that the body's production of adiponectin, a hormone secreted by fat cells, decreases as we gain belly fat. This reduction in adiponectin production has been found to promote insulin resistance, a risk factor for metabolic syndrome and a potential precursor to type-2 diabetes. And finally, studies have shown that belly fat cells produce more fibrinogen and plasminogen, two chemicals in the body that promote blood clotting. Visceral fat also produces more angiotensin, a hormone that causes blood vessels to constrict. Here again lies the connection between too much belly fat and an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.
So if you or someone you know is carrying excess weight around the abdomen, losing that belly fat is important to a healthier, higher quality of life. The first all important step is to change your lifestyle. Start being more active in your daily activities. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator, whenever possible. Go for a walk or run during your lunch break. Another important lifestyle change is to change the way you eat - that is what you eat, how you eat it and when you eat! If you need additional support, there are many places to go for this but it's important to have support from your family. You cannot do this without them! Then if you still need additional support, Healthy Weight Dancing Feet (HWDF) offers a unique support system. Contact Nadia at HWDF to learn more.
To your health,
Nadia
Your weight loss partner
1-877-405-4471
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