By
There’s an epidemic in Western countries, and one few people are aware of. It’s an epidemic of visceral fat, a deep kind of fat that packs around vital organs, like the liver, and is linked with health problems like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
You might assume that only people who are overweight or obese have too much visceral fat, but that’s not the case. Thin people, particularly inactive ones and older individuals, can have enough visceral fat to increase their risk of chronic health problems. They may look thin, but they’re not healthy because they have too much visceral fat and other markers of bad health.
Although it’s not easy to trim down visceral fat, science shows there are ways to reduce your body’s visceral fat burden and improve your health simultaneously.
Signs of Excess Visceral Fat
How do you know if you’re tipping the scales in terms of visceral fat? One sign you’re carrying too much visceral fat is your waist size. If your waist is larger than half your height, you have too much visceral fat.
For example, a person who is five feet six inches, or 66 inches, should have a waist size less than 33 inches. In general, guidelines say a waist size over 35 inches in men and 30 inches in women is a marker of too much visceral fat.
In reality, the only way to know how much visceral fat you have is by doing an imaging study. But waist size is still a good marker, so check your waist size with a tape measure at least once per month and record the value.
If your waist size shows you have too much visceral fat, what can you do about it?
Eat More Fiber
Soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gel that helps slow down food as it passes through your digestive system. This can help you feel fuller longer and reduce the number of calories you absorb from other foods. Plus, fiber helps with blood glucose control.
One way to reduce visceral fat is by consuming more fiber-rich foods. Fiber is the part of plant foods that your body can’t digest, so it helps you feel full longer and keeps your digestive system healthy. Fiber-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes (like beans and lentils).
Strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are also substantial sources of soluble and insoluble fibers and they’re nutrient-rich. They also have many other health benefits such as being anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich, which helps protect against cardiovascular disease and other chronic health problems. Non-starchy vegetables, lentils, beans, tree nuts, seeds, and whole grains are other rich sources of fiber.
Manage Stress
Stress increases cortisol, a stress hormone that increases visceral fat. When your body produces too much cortisol, it shifts where your body stores fat to your mid-section and boosts deeper visceral fat. Make sure you’re not letting chronic stress take control of your life and health. Reduce stress levels with mind-body activities like yoga and meditation, going for a nature walk, or taking a hot bath.
Focus on Quality Sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep is critical to health and wellness. Many people don’t realize how important sleep is for immune health, brain function, and more. Plus, numerous studies show lack of sleep increases the stress hormone cortisol and boosts visceral fat.
One study showed that people who slept for 5 hours or less per night had more visceral fat than those who slumbered 7 hours or more per night. So aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night to keep visceral fat in check. Plus, not sleeping enough increases the appetite hormone ghrelin, so you crave sugary foods and eat more. As you gain weight from eating sugary foods, your body stores some of it as visceral fat. Make sure you get at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night.
Reduce Your Sugar Intake
One way to reduce visceral fat is to cut back on sugar, another contributor to visceral fat. Beware! Sugar is in most ultra-processed foods and beverages, even fruit juice. It also shows up in foods high in fat — like candy and ice cream — and those high in carbs, such as bread and pasta. It’s everywhere!
The World Health Organization (WHO) advises that sugars should make up less than 10% of your total energy intake each day. This means if you eat 2,000 calories a day, no more than 200 calories should come from sugar. How can you lower your sugar intake to get a handle on visceral fat?
Replace sugary beverages with plain water. Soda and fruit drinks are loaded with sugar. If you drink at least one sweetened beverage a day, replacing those calories with water could save you hundreds of calories each week. Plus, studies show that sugar-sweetened beverages are major contributors to visceral fat.
Know where sugar hides. It’s in everything from ketchup and salad dressing to bread, pasta, and yogurt. You might not realize how much sugar you’re consuming until you start counting grams. The best way to do this is by keeping a food diary for a few days.
Read labels carefully. This can be time-consuming, but it’s worth it if you want to know exactly what’s in the food you’re eating. Pay special attention to ingredients listed at the end of a list — these are things manufacturers add for flavor or texture, so they’re often full of added sugars. Even better, avoid packaged foods entirely!
Stay Physically Active With Exercises that Work Large Muscle Groups
Physical activity is a must if you’re trying to tame visceral fat. You’ll get the most benefits by performing exercises that work large muscle groups, like those in your lower body. These larger muscles burn more calories and fat and affect hormones that regulate weight and blood sugar control more. Focus on squats, deadlifts, and dynamic exercises like running or cycling.
Exercise improves insulin sensitivity and reduces inflammation in the body, which can help with weight loss and loss of visceral fat. You can lower visceral fat by staying physically active with exercises that work large muscle groups.
Walking is the most common form of exercise people do, but you’ll gain more benefits by adding hills and short periods of higher-intensity exercise like walking as briskly as possible.
But don’t ignore the benefits of strength training. Focus on exercises that work the large muscles in your lower body, such as squats and deadlifts, for the most return on your time investment.
Conclusion
The takeaway here is that healthy lifestyle changes can help you tame visceral fat. If you’re already doing these things, keep it up and be patient. You can monitor your progress by checking your waist size weekly and seeing if it’s shrinking.
References:
- “How to Get Rid of Visceral Fat – Healthline.” 22 August 2017, healthline.com/nutrition/lose-visceral-fat.
- “The Effect of Exercise on Visceral Adipose Tissue in Overweight Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” by Dirk Vissers, Wendy Hens, Jan Taeymans, Jean-Pierre Baeyens, Jacques Poortmans and Luc Van Gaal, 8 February 2013, PLOS ONE.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056415 - “Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is associated with visceral fat in children” by Claire Gallagher, George Moschonis, Katrina A. Lambert, Eva Karaglani, Christina Mavrogianni, Stavroula Gavrili, Yannis Manios and Bircan Erbas, 19 August 2020, British Journal of Nutrition.
DOI: 10.1017/S0007114520003256 - “The Effects of Fiber on Visceral Fat”by Yoona Kim, 11 January 2019, Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Abdominal Obesity (Second Edition).
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-816093-0.00031-8
There’s an epidemic in Western countries, and one few people are aware of. It’s an epidemic of visceral fat, a deep kind of fat that packs around vital organs, like the liver, and is linked with health problems like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
You might assume that only people who are overweight or obese have too much visceral fat, but that’s not the case. Thin people, particularly inactive ones and older individuals, can have enough visceral fat to increase their risk of chronic health problems. They may look thin, but they’re not healthy because they have too much visceral fat and other markers of bad health.
Although it’s not easy to trim down visceral fat, science shows there are ways to reduce your body’s visceral fat burden and improve your health simultaneously.
Signs of Excess Visceral Fat
How do you know if you’re tipping the scales in terms of visceral fat? One sign you’re carrying too much visceral fat is your waist size. If your waist is larger than half your height, you have too much visceral fat.
For example, a person who is five feet six inches, or 66 inches, should have a waist size less than 33 inches. In general, guidelines say a waist size over 35 inches in men and 30 inches in women is a marker of too much visceral fat.
In reality, the only way to know how much visceral fat you have is by doing an imaging study. But waist size is still a good marker, so check your waist size with a tape measure at least once per month and record the value.
If your waist size shows you have too much visceral fat, what can you do about it?
Eat More Fiber
Soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gel that helps slow down food as it passes through your digestive system. This can help you feel fuller longer and reduce the number of calories you absorb from other foods. Plus, fiber helps with blood glucose control.
One way to reduce visceral fat is by consuming more fiber-rich foods. Fiber is the part of plant foods that your body can’t digest, so it helps you feel full longer and keeps your digestive system healthy. Fiber-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes (like beans and lentils).
Strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are also substantial sources of soluble and insoluble fibers and they’re nutrient-rich. They also have many other health benefits such as being anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich, which helps protect against cardiovascular disease and other chronic health problems. Non-starchy vegetables, lentils, beans, tree nuts, seeds, and whole grains are other rich sources of fiber.
Manage Stress
Stress increases cortisol, a stress hormone that increases visceral fat. When your body produces too much cortisol, it shifts where your body stores fat to your mid-section and boosts deeper visceral fat. Make sure you’re not letting chronic stress take control of your life and health. Reduce stress levels with mind-body activities like yoga and meditation, going for a nature walk, or taking a hot bath.
Focus on Quality Sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep is critical to health and wellness. Many people don’t realize how important sleep is for immune health, brain function, and more. Plus, numerous studies show lack of sleep increases the stress hormone cortisol and boosts visceral fat.
One study showed that people who slept for 5 hours or less per night had more visceral fat than those who slumbered 7 hours or more per night. So aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night to keep visceral fat in check. Plus, not sleeping enough increases the appetite hormone ghrelin, so you crave sugary foods and eat more. As you gain weight from eating sugary foods, your body stores some of it as visceral fat. Make sure you get at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night.
One way to reduce visceral fat is to cut back on sugar, another contributor to visceral fat. Beware! Sugar is in most ultra-processed foods and beverages, even fruit juice. It also shows up in foods high in fat — like candy and ice cream — and those high in carbs, such as bread and pasta. It’s everywhere!
The World Health Organization (WHO) advises that sugars should make up less than 10% of your total energy intake each day. This means if you eat 2,000 calories a day, no more than 200 calories should come from sugar. How can you lower your sugar intake to get a handle on visceral fat?
Replace sugary beverages with plain water. Soda and fruit drinks are loaded with sugar. If you drink at least one sweetened beverage a day, replacing those calories with water could save you hundreds of calories each week. Plus, studies show that sugar-sweetened beverages are major contributors to visceral fat.
Know where sugar hides. It’s in everything from ketchup and salad dressing to bread, pasta, and yogurt. You might not realize how much sugar you’re consuming until you start counting grams. The best way to do this is by keeping a food diary for a few days.
Read labels carefully. This can be time-consuming, but it’s worth it if you want to know exactly what’s in the food you’re eating. Pay special attention to ingredients listed at the end of a list — these are things manufacturers add for flavor or texture, so they’re often full of added sugars. Even better, avoid packaged foods entirely!
Stay Physically Active With Exercises that Work Large Muscle Groups
Physical activity is a must if you’re trying to tame visceral fat. You’ll get the most benefits by performing exercises that work large muscle groups, like those in your lower body. These larger muscles burn more calories and fat and affect hormones that regulate weight and blood sugar control more. Focus on squats, deadlifts, and dynamic exercises like running or cycling.
Exercise improves insulin sensitivity and reduces inflammation in the body, which can help with weight loss and loss of visceral fat. You can lower visceral fat by staying physically active with exercises that work large muscle groups.
Walking is the most common form of exercise people do, but you’ll gain more benefits by adding hills and short periods of higher-intensity exercise like walking as briskly as possible.
But don’t ignore the benefits of strength training. Focus on exercises that work the large muscles in your lower body, such as squats and deadlifts, for the most return on your time investment.
Conclusion
The takeaway here is that healthy lifestyle changes can help you tame visceral fat. If you’re already doing these things, keep it up and be patient. You can monitor your progress by checking your waist size weekly and seeing if it’s shrinking.
References:
- “How to Get Rid of Visceral Fat – Healthline.” 22 August 2017, healthline.com/nutrition/lose-visceral-fat.
- “The Effect of Exercise on Visceral Adipose Tissue in Overweight Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” by Dirk Vissers, Wendy Hens, Jan Taeymans, Jean-Pierre Baeyens, Jacques Poortmans and Luc Van Gaal, 8 February 2013, PLOS ONE.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056415 - “Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is associated with visceral fat in children” by Claire Gallagher, George Moschonis, Katrina A. Lambert, Eva Karaglani, Christina Mavrogianni, Stavroula Gavrili, Yannis Manios and Bircan Erbas, 19 August 2020, British Journal of Nutrition.
DOI: 10.1017/S0007114520003256 - “The Effects of Fiber on Visceral Fat”by Yoona Kim, 11 January 2019, Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Abdominal Obesity (Second Edition).
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-816093-0.00031-8
Neuroscientists Discover Beige Fat “Indispensable” in Protecting Brain From Dementia
Scientists Discover How Neuro-Immune Interactions Burn Deep Fat
Not All Calories Are Equal – A Dietitian Explains How the Kinds of Foods You Eat Matter to Your Body
Mayo Clinic: Lack of Sleep Increases Unhealthy Belly Fat
Researchers Find Belly Fat Is Resistant to Intermittent Fasting – “The Location Makes a Big Difference”
Which Gender Sleeps the Most? New Study Sheds Light on American Sleep Habits
Improve Sleep Apnea by Losing Fat in an Unexpected Body Part — The Tongue
Avocados Change Belly Fat Distribution in Women Toward a Healthier Profile
Give me a healthy diet. I weigh 374 lbs and would love to loose 100 lbs.i
Your are the best advisors of all, thanks. Keep it up.
Careful the sugar recommendations are for free sugars not total sugars.
https://www.who.int/news/item/04-03-2015-who-calls-on-countries-to-reduce-sugars-intake-among-adults-and-children
The recommendations are out of order. Eliminating processed sugar should be number one. If you do that, sleep gets better, cortisol drops, weight is lost, exercise gets easier, etc.
There’s a news. Eat less sugar, workout more, sleep better, don’t be stressed… Now everyone will get fit.
Hey Paul. The article just gave some very good guidelines for you to follow, why don’t you get started and stop asking for things to be made easier for you. That’s probably why you’re overweight in the first place.
@Paul- I have been regularly listening to the Ben Greenfield Life podcast & have gained so much better understanding of healthy practices & would encourage you to check it out. His website is bengreenfieldlife.com.
Doing the right “small” things as an easily doable daily routine will produce remarkable consistent positive results over time. God bless you- I am excited for your progress!
Maybe if people didn’t have to work long hours in or often having long commutes this wouldn’t be getting out of control. About the best I can do is work on diet and exercise, but can’t avoid job related stress or often it’s impact on my sleep schedule.
Hi Paul,
These are the things that work for me: Get a walking buddy and commit to walk every day. Next, decrease red meat consumption and throw out all snacky food and drinks from your fridge and pantry – don’t have junk food in the house! Finally, don’t eat out or order in. There are lots of healthy recipes that can be found online. Do some research to find recipes that appeal to you. Have a friendly competition with a buddy to reduce weight.
Hey Anthony, at least Paul is an honest person seeking solutions to his problem. Good luck with yours, going to take some major changes for you to find happiness and peace.
Diets don’t work. It took me 35 years of losing 50 lbs and gaining 60 to realize that a program like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, keto or fasting was not going to save me.
I had to change my behavior and I had to do it one step at a time. I decided to eat fruit every day. One serving of fruit and I was done. I constantly reminded myself that I met my goal and deserved to feel good about it (to counteract my inner critic’s constant negativity). After about 3 weeks, eating fruit became a normal part of my day: a habit.
My next goal was lean protein, then veggies, then a 5 minute walk… I probably averaged 1 small change each month.
My weight loss was slow and steady. After a couple of years I lost 100 lbs and gained a positive attitude and a lot of healthy habits. That was 15 years ago, so it seems sustainable…
Covid vaccines were backed by “science” too. The “science” isn’t too inspiring anymore.
I was able to eliminate my visceral fats in 2013 with a 90-day program. From 180 lbs to 157 lbs then waistline from 36″ to 32″. The program is a life changer because it taught me the right approach to eating meals and the portions. Who says you have to go hungry or diet to reduce weight? Because of this program, I was able to maintain fit upto now.
Help me I have 4 heart conditions plus edemia. I can barely walk my lungs are filling with fluid because of this. I am miserable my weight has gone way up I’ve hit a high I’ve NEVER SEEN IN MY LIFE I’ve been hospitalized twice in the last 2 months my weight comes down around 30 #s but that’s it. Then it starts right back up water weight they call it puff huff I am disgusted. I only feel like resting and sleeping and drinking my water. That they have restricted me on so I’m always thirsty. My weight keeps going up. Oh I have gastro intestinal bleeding too an ulcer in my stomach and bleeding hemorrhoids inside and out. My blood work is bad I’m very anemic and undernourished. Now what help fatty
Hi helping Fatty.😊
You’re not alone ,I dont have as many disorders as you. But , I do have heart issues along with COPD, Sleep apnea and rheumatoid arthritis .
I am the very same. I watch what I eat( calorie count is under 1800) I grow my own vegetables and chickens , rabbits and turkey for meat , and I don’t eat much fast food as I live in a rural setting, I however dont walk or exercise much but with all the walking I do in a day, I figure its enough ( over 10,000 steps daily) I’m on very high doses of lasix, and I still have severe edema, wake up gurgling and always short of breath due to the fluid build up in the belly area and lungs.
This year my weight too has increased up into 300lbs, I struggle to take it off.
It’s funny that doctors will ask you to eat better and exercise more, you can try, but no matter how much you decrease your calorie count or how much you excercise nothing seems to help.
Its frustrating to no end , exspecially when you try hard to feel better .
This article is missing information about people in perimenopause and menopause and how hormone changes impact visceral fat and health risks that result.
The other things missing from this “science” it what chronic pain and acute depression does to the body. If being healthy, was only about eating right, exercise and sleep. I can sleep 22 hours a day, not eat a thing and drink water and I’m still fat, unhealthy, in pain and even more depressed.
Email address is optional. If provided, your email will not be published or shared.
SciTechDaily: Home of the best science and technology news since 1998. Keep up with the latest scitech news via email or social media.
August 28, 2022
NASA Artemis I Launch Countdown Commences, Team Assessing Lightning Strikes at Launch Pad
NASA’s mission management team for Artemis I met yesterday morning to review the status of operations and have polled “go” to proceed with the launch…
NASA’s mission management team for Artemis I met yesterday morning to review the status of operations and have polled “go” to proceed with the launch…
August 27, 2022
Shocking Relationship Discovered Between Posture and Cognitive Decline
August 27, 2022
Water World: Astronomers Discover an Extrasolar World That May Be Entirely Covered in a Deep Ocean
August 27, 2022
Scientists Grow “Synthetic” Embryo With Brain and Beating Heart – Without Eggs or Sperm
August 26, 2022
Physicists Have Built a Quantum Heat Pump To Detect Dark Matter
August 26, 2022
Artemis I Launching to the Moon: Official NASA Launch Trailer
August 26, 2022
Drought Causes Yangtze – China’s Most Important River – To Dry Up
August 26, 2022
Even Moderate Drinking Found To Be Linked to Brain Changes and Cognitive Decline
Copyright © 1998 – 2022 SciTechDaily. All Rights Reserved.