Watch that belly

Chandana Singh, a 35-year-old IT professional in Hyderabad was recently in for a shock when she went for a casual health check-up — she was diagnosed with a potential cardiac condition. With her busy and stressful job, she ate mostly restaurant food and junk food as a quick fix.

“I had noticed that my clothes kept getting tighter and I went from a size S to an XL in two years. But in this health check-up I found out that my visceral fat was not just contributing to my increasing waistline but also impacting my heart,” she says.

The risks of visceral fat

Singh is not alone. Most Indians have a compromised body mass index (BMI) and visceral fat issues. In an article on Medium.com, Dr Mehmet Yildiz, Technologist and Cognitive Scientist, cautions, “Body fat is essential. In addition to serving as a natural energy source, our body needs some fat under the skin for various reasons. For example, our organs need fat as padding to protect them from external pressure. So subcutaneous fat under the skin serves this purpose.

However, visceral fat is accumulated around the organs. So, when visceral fat passes the threshold, our metabolic risks significantly increase.” Excess visceral fat gets accumulated due to various reasons such as consumption of high-calorie diets with very little or no physical activity, genetic factors, hormonal changes, chronic stress, and other lifestyle-related factors.

Men at risk

Usually, men have a higher tendency to accumulate abdominal visceral fat compared to women. Dr. G.V. Rao Director and Chief of Surgical Gastroenterology and Minimally Invasive Surgery, AIG Hospitals, says, “Our internal organs are soft and therefore needs a protective layer which is called visceral fat, as it surrounds organs of the digestive, excretory, reproductive and other systems. It cannot be felt externally and may not always be visible. When there is an excess amount of visceral fat in the body, the risk of  serious medical issues like heart disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, and high cholesterol gets increased significantly.”

Watch Out

The most obvious sign of visceral fat is the size of the belly. “Typically, a ‘sticking out’ belly indicates high accumulation of visceral fat. Apart from this, a high BMI (above 30) and higher waist to hip ratio are other key signs of visceral fat. Sometimes a person may have a relatively flat belly but still have accumulation of visceral fat in which becomes apparent with the onset of hypertension or high cholesterol,” warns Dr. Rao.

Take Care

With the explosion of the Internet and access to information at your fingertips via your smartphone, this is an era where typing “how to lose belly fat” will bring up thousands of YouTube videos claiming to show the perfect way to get rid of belly fat; but unfortunately, they are not based on science and evidence. People tend to overdo things. Instead, simple steps can go a long way in reducing belly fat.

Remember, there is no magic wand that will make belly fat disappear within a week or two. One should consider reducing belly fat like a test match, not a T20 one. “A few simple tips that will help in not just reducing belly fat but also ensuring an overall fit body and mind include having a well-balanced, low-carbohydrate diet incorporating fruits, vegetables and lean proteins. Exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes every day, including both cardio and strength training exercises, and get adequate sleep. Swimming is one of the most beneficial exercises to reduce belly fat and improve overall fitness - couple it with being mindful about your daily calorie intake, and you are on the right track to reduce your belly,” the doctor says.