Understanding and Managing Belly Fat for a Healthier Lifestyle
When it comes to belly fat, it’s important to understand that not all fat is created equal. There are two types of belly fat that can accumulate in our bodies – subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat is located just under the skin, while visceral fat surrounds our internal organs within the abdominal cavity. These fats pose different risks to our health, with visceral fat being the more concerning of the two.
While subcutaneous fat may not have a direct negative effect on our health, visceral fat is known to produce inflammatory cytokines that increase insulin resistance. This, in turn, leads to higher blood sugar levels and can contribute to the development of metabolic diseases. Therefore, it is important to focus on losing visceral fat rather than solely targeting the subcutaneous fat that is visible.
The Dangers of Visceral Fat
Recently, researchers from Seoul National University and DGIST uncovered the reasons behind the harmful nature of visceral fat compared to subcutaneous fat. The study revealed that stem cells play a significant role in determining the impact of these fats on our bodies. Visceral fat was found to have a higher population of stem cells, leading to increased adipose tissue, inflammation, and fibrosis. On the other hand, subcutaneous fat displayed improved adipose tissue function by promoting energy utilization and inhibiting inflammation.
Adipose tissue is not only responsible for storing energy but also plays a role in hormone secretion and heat production. Visceral fat is the main culprit behind the development of metabolic diseases, making it crucial to address this type of fat for a healthier lifestyle.
Differentiating Subcutaneous Fat and Visceral Fat
While a CT scan is the most reliable method for determining the presence of visceral fat, there are simpler ways to assess your fat distribution. One method involves pinching the belly fat between your thumb and index finger – if it measures more than 2cm, it is considered subcutaneous fat. Visceral fat, however, tends to be smaller and less easily grasped.
You can also observe the shape of your belly to determine the type of fat accumulated. If only the lower abdomen protrudes while the upper abdomen appears flatter, it indicates an accumulation of subcutaneous fat. Conversely, a protruding stomach, even while lying down, could suggest a significant amount of visceral fat.
Effective Exercises for Losing Visceral Fat
When it comes to reducing belly fat, aerobic exercises are your best bet, especially for targeting visceral fat. Activities such as brisk walking, running, swimming, or cycling can help burn the fat stored between your organs. It is crucial to engage in these exercises for at least 20 minutes to effectively burn fat.
Furthermore, there are specific exercises that you can perform at home to target visceral fat. These exercises involve stretching and stimulating the muscles around the abdomen. By incorporating these exercises into your routine, you can help improve your adipose tissue’s function and reduce the harmful effects of visceral fat.
Conclusion
Understanding the different types of belly fat and their impact on our health is key to maintaining a healthier lifestyle. By focusing on losing visceral fat rather than solely fixating on subcutaneous fat, we can effectively manage our risk of developing metabolic diseases. Incorporating regular exercise routines targeting visceral fat can significantly contribute to our overall well-being and help us achieve a healthier weight.
Source: Getty Image Bank
There are two types of belly fat. Subcutaneous fat accumulates just under the skin outside the abdominal cavity and visceral fat accumulates around the internal organs within the abdominal cavity. The risk varies depending on the type of fat. Subcutaneous fat may look unsightly, but it does not actually have a direct negative effect on health. On the other hand, visceral fat produces much more inflammatory cytokines that increase insulin resistance than subcutaneous fat. This is the main culprit in raising blood sugar levels. Therefore, for health, you should focus on losing visceral fat, not the subcutaneous fat that is visible to the naked eye. There are different ways to lose belly fat depending on the type.
The risk of belly fat varies depending on the type Source: Getty Image Bank
Why is visceral fat more dangerous than subcutaneous fat?
In obesity, visceral fat is considered harmful fat tissue that causes health problems, while subcutaneous fat is considered beneficial fat tissue. Last year, a domestic research team discovered why visceral fat obesity is more dangerous than subcutaneous fat obesity.
The research team of Professor Jae-beom Kim from the Department of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, and Professor Jong-kyung Kim from DGIST discovered that stem cells are the reason why visceral fat acts as a larger fat harmful than subcutaneous fat. blog The stem cell population in visceral fat led to an increase in adipose tissue and caused an inflammatory response and fibrosis, worsening adipose tissue function. On the other hand, the subcutaneous fat stem cell group was found to improve adipose tissue function by promoting adipose tissue energy utilization and inhibiting inflammatory responses.
Adipose tissue is an energy metabolic organ that performs various functions including energy storage, hormone secretion, and heat production. Adipose tissue is largely divided into white fat, which stores energy, and brown fat, which uses energy to produce heat. White fat is divided into visceral fat and subcutaneous fat depending on its location, and an increase in visceral fat is the main cause of the development of metabolic diseases.
How to differentiate between subcutaneous fat and visceral fat
The most reliable way to determine if you have visceral fat is to take a cross-sectional image of the abdomen using a CT scan. But there is a simpler way. It’s all about lifting belly fat. When you pinch your belly fat with your thumb and index finger, if it’s more than 2cm, it’s considered subcutaneous fat. On the other hand, visceral fat has the characteristic of being small and not easy to grasp.
You can also tell by the shape of your belly fat. If the upper abdomen goes in and only the lower abdomen comes out, subcutaneous fat has accumulated. However, if your stomach is full, there is a high possibility that you have accumulated a lot of visceral fat. Additionally, if you have a lot of visceral fat, your stomach will almost stick out even when you lie down, but if you have a lot of subcutaneous fat, your stomach will go in when you lie down .
Exercises to lose visceral fat
It is relatively easier to reduce visceral fat than subcutaneous fat. To lose visceral fat, you must exercise regularly, and aerobic exercise is the best exercise. Brisk walking, running, swimming, or riding a bike can help you burn the visceral fat stored between your organs. In order to burn fat, it is important to continue exercising for more than 20 minutes. However, there is an exercise method to burn visceral fat that can be done easily and comfortably at home. This is to continuously stimulate the muscles around the abdomen by stretching them. We learned how to stretch the muscles around the abdomen.
full body stretch
Full body extensionㅣSource: Getty Image Bank
① Lie straight
② Stretch your arms and legs in different directions as much as possible.
Lie down and lean your upper body back
Lie down and lean your upper body backㅣSource: Getty Image Bank
① Lie face down and place both palms under your armpits.
② Straighten both legs and bring the knees and heels together.
③ Inhale and lift your nose, chin and head slowly in that order.
④ Breathe deeply and return to the prone position.
sit down and bend down
Sit and arch your backㅣSource: Getty Image Bank
① Sit down and raise your arms in front of you
② Bend down slowly while pulling in the instep.
Sit with your legs crossed and stretch your waist to the side
Sit with your legs crossed and stretch your waist to the side | Source: Getty Image Bank
① Sit up straight, bend one knee and cross your legs.
② Remove the bent knee with the opposite arm and place the other hand on the floor behind you.
③ Breathe deeply and twist your waist.
④ Proceed in the same way on the other side.
turn your waist
Turn your waistㅣSource: Getty Image Bank
① Stand straight and spread your feet shoulder width apart.
② Put your hands on your waist and turn it slowly.
③ Proceed in the same way in the opposite direction.
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