11 September 2024

Visceral fat and what it's eaten with

When it comes to human health and longevity, fat has become a real anti-hero - whether it is fat that enters the body with food or remains in the body in the form of deposits. And there are very good reasons for this. Of course, we should not draw radical conclusions from this, such as “no fat ever!” Fats and substances (including cholesterol) are an important ingredient in every cell of our body, so their moderate consumption (as well as moderate accumulation inside the body) is simply necessary.

The only trouble is that moderation is now and again left behind, and the diet ends up filled with a lot of fats that end up traveling through the body in the form of growing adipose tissue.

Creases on the abdomen, thighs and chin are not a pleasant phenomenon. Everyone understands that this burden becomes a threat to health and longevity. However, the problem is much deeper and more serious than it may seem at first glance. Overweight and even more so obesity are among the main causes of heart disorders, hypertension and diabetes. 

The so-called metabolic syndrome, from which a whole “bouquet of diseases” can grow, has been studied in detail and is widespread. Among them are cancer, Alzheimer's disease and even imbalance of hormones, including sex hormones.

Recent research in this area has shown that the so-called visceral fat (from the Latin “viscera” - “interior”) is especially dangerous. The fact is that the palpable and externally distinguishable fat (it is more correctly called subcutaneous adipose tissue) is not all fatty tissue. Much of it is deep inside our bodies, surrounding the stomach, liver and intestines - this is visceral fat.

Subcutaneous fat can be easily detected visually or by touch and measured with an ordinary centimeter. More accurate data is obtained with a caliperometer, a device resembling a huge clothespin, which is used to grasp a fat fold and measure its thickness. Visceral fat is much more complicated. If it is really a lot, it will also affect the volume of the waist, which can be assessed with the help of a centimeter. It is also useful to measure the hips, because a marked disproportion in favor of the waist indicates an excess of visceral fat.

More accurate data allows you to get a physical method - bioimpedance. Despite the complex name, it is very easy to use it, including at home - with the help of special scales. Such impedance scales send an electrical impulse that passes through the body and returns back. The muscles and bones conduct the electric current differently, thanks to which it is possible to estimate their approximate proportion by weight. It is also possible to know the amount of visceral fat and even its distribution with absolute certainty using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but this can be quite expensive.

So, excess visceral fat is a serious health challenge that is not always easy to spot. Its solution, however, is surprisingly quite simple. To get rid of the deposits of fat in the abdominal cavity, regular physical activity is also enough. Especially encouraging is the fact that visceral fat is consumed even faster than ordinary fat. It turns out that both well-being and health in this case should soon improve.

However, it is better still to be attentive to your health, physical shape and from the very beginning. This will allow you to get acquainted with visceral fat and the pile of problems associated with it.

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