Overweight people need to identify the fat content that they should shed off to regain a healthy body. Though it is not easy to get rid of excess body fat, the advice of experienced dieticians and obstetricians can help in restoring a slim and healthy body. Too much visceral fat in patients is the main concern of all obstetricians, as it can lead to many other health problems and may even take a fatal turn in some cases.
What is visceral fat?
Visceral fat is the body fat that accumulates around the abdominal region of a person. It is also called hidden fat as it is mostly stored over internal organs, like the stomach, intestines, and liver. So, the visceral fat is not visible or felt from the outside, unlike the fats stored over limbs and facial muscles. Normally, this fat is solely responsible for a bulging belly that renders the shape of an apple the body. However, a thin layer of visceral fat loss can be found even in a person with a flat belly, which is detected only by upgraded scanning.
Is there any risk in having visceral fats?
- Visceral fat is proven to be more dangerous than visceral fat vs subcutaneous fat that is stored just below the skin. It produces toxic chemicals and harmful hormones that can cause many ailments in the human body system.
- A thick layer of visceral fat level can lead to cardiac diseases, high cholesterol levels, type2 diabetes, gout, cerebral stroke, asthma, and even mental diseases, like Alzheimer’s and dementia. Breast cancer and colorectal cancer are also linked with the growth in visceral fat.
- It is suspected that the visceral fat range releases some Eating and Exercise Workouts that cause inflammation in some organs, resulting in constricting blood vessels linked with those organs. Thus, blood pressure increases due to these narrowed blood vessels, leading to several health complications.
What are the causes of visceral fats?
- The accumulation of visceral fat is credited to the consumption of too much calorie-rich food every day.
- The lack of sufficient physical activities, like regular exercises, is another vital cause of storing visceral fat.
- Genetic factor also results in the accumulation of fat in the abdominal region instead of hips or other parts of the body.
- Older women tend to gain more visceral fat, due to the hormonal changes in the body after menopause. Their muscles become thinner and the fat layer becomes thicker with the growing age even if they are not overweight.
- Many aged men also tend to grow bulkier with more visceral fat, mainly after retirement from their jobs.
- The habit of drinking alcohol regularly is another cause of gaining visceral fat in both men and women.
What is the best way to tell whether I have visceral fat?
- The easiest and most effective way to know whether a person has gained visceral fat is to measure his/her waist. If a woman’s waist measures 80 cm or even more, she has surely got visceral fat. If the measurement of a man’s waist is 94 cm or more, it is a sure sign of the presence of visceral fat in his body. However, the waist of a pregnant woman cannot be measured for checking visceral fat.
- Body Mass Index or BMI is another pointer for detecting visceral fat. It can be calculated by a special formula regarding the weight relative to the height of a person. When the BMI of a person is more than 30, it means that he/she is overweight and most likely to have visceral fat.
- The ratio of the hip size to the waist size is another way of telling whether a person has got visceral fat. This procedure is somewhat similar to the measurement of the waist region to predict the presence of visceral fat.
- A close look at one’s self-image in the mirror also can reveal the existence of a fatty abdomen, compared to thinner limbs. However, the accurate amount of visceral fat can be determined only by an MRI scan or CT scan of the abdominal region of a patient.
How can I get rid of visceral fat?
- A person having visceral fat should strictly follow a special diet chart prepared by his/her dietician or obstetrician. This healthy diet should comprise lean proteins, complex carbohydrates of sweet potatoes and whole grains, and vitamins from fresh fruits and vegetables. It is best to eat only boiled, steamed, or baked foods, as nutrients are lost when fried. All oily foods, candies, and carbonated drinks should be avoided.
- A regular exercise regime is essential to get rid of the visceral fat, as well as the fat stored in other parts of the body. A person should do aerobic exercises for at least 30 minutes every day. Morning or evening walks, jogging, cycling, and swimming are other forms of workouts that can help in shedding excess body fat very fast. Strength training and yoga are also effective in this regard.
- Too much stress can cause the accumulation of visceral fat, due to the secretion of a hormone named cortisol. So, a person should try to reduce his/her stress level by practising meditation and breathing exercises daily. He/she needs to relax with their families and friends, to improve their moods. Other stress management techniques include involvement in hobbies, sharing problems with loved ones, and laughing heartily by reading jokes or watching comedy programs.
Do I need to see a doctor?
If the waistline of a man crosses the size of 101 cm, he should immediately contact a doctor to check his health condition. Likewise, a woman should visit a doctor when her waist size exceeds the size of 89 cm. These men and women need special medical attention as they have high risks of several fatal ailments due to so much visceral fat in the body. A doctor may refer them to a dietician and suggest some diagnostic tests, to get a better view of their health.
Therefore, people need to be careful about their visceral fat so that they can lead a healthy life and weight loss chart ideas. A disciplined lifestyle and some extra care will help in maintaining a slim figure without any belly fat.