There are two types of fat in our bodies; subcutaneous fat and visceral fat.

Subcutaneous fat is found underneath the skin in the thighs, buttocks, hips, breast and arms.

Fat that accumulates in the midsection of the body, including the abdominal cavity and between internal organs (round belly, beer belly, etc.) is known as visceral fat.

It used to be thought that visceral fat was more or less inactive; it collected in the body around the stomach area and hung out for the duration. It was unsightly, but fairly harmless.

However, it is now widely accepted that abdominal fat is downright dangerous and plays an active role in promoting the disease processes associated with heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Although we think of fat as sluggish, visceral fat is dynamic; it directly affects the secretion and activation of many chemical substances that influence hormonal, lipid, and enzyme levels; weakens the modulating activity of the immune system; promotes inflammation, etc. Visceral fat releases fatty acids (a breakdown of dietary fat) into the bloodstream through the portal vein and liver. High levels of blood fat (lipids) are linked with inflammation which in turn is associated with type 2 diabetes. When the body is not able to burn fat efficiently, it simply keeps storing it. Over time, the body becomes overweight, with most of the extra fat stored in the belly.

“When people get older or more obese, some of the visceral fat mature and become larger, lazy, and dysfunctional,” says Dr. Osama Hamdy, instructor of medicine at Harvard University and medical director at the Joslin Obesity Clinical Program in Boston. “As people continue to eat and fats expand, some cells get too full and rupture.” When these fat cells rupture, the body sends in immune cells to clean up the mess. A by product of the cleansing process provided by immune cells (called macrophages) is inflammation. Macrophages also secrete additional inflammatory compounds, like tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and less of the hormone adiponectin which aids in insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. Adiponectin plays a critical role in the inhibition of metabolic disturbances in the body that may result in type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and is an independent risk factor for metabolic syndrome.

So what can we do to eliminate visceral fat?:

Exercise, exercise, exercise, and eat less. It is known that exercise and diet modification is the best method for weight loss. However, current research also shows that exercise only programs are very effective in defeating visceral fat, especially in people who already have type 2 diabetes. Exercise alone (without weight loss) can result in abdominal fat loss and improved insulin sensitivity. And because changes in insulin levels are connected with the modification of visceral fat, the emphasis on exercise in the treatment of type 2 diabetes is vital. An interesting study conducted by exercise physiologist Dr. Gary Hunter and colleagues at the University of Alabama showed that as little as 80 minutes of aerobic or resistance training per week helps to prevent weight gain and, more importantly, can inhibit the growth of visceral fat. And, if you decrease the number of calories you eat by 500 per day, it is more than possible to drop 1 ½ to 2 pounds of fat per week without sacrificing muscle mass or losing water weight. Weight training also helps to get rid of fat by speeding up your metabolism. Belly fat is stubborn and we need to be persistent in our efforts to get rid of it.

The Better Life Experts | June 11, 2010

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