Lowering visceral fat: Understanding dangerous fats and targeted dietary adjustments

Reduce visceral fat

What is visceral fat?

Obesity is classified into two types based on the location of fat accumulation: subcutaneous fat obesity, characterized by fat accumulation in the lower body, such as the abdomen, thighs, and buttocks, and also known as "pear-shaped obesity"; and visceral fat obesity, where fat accumulates in the abdominal cavity, resulting in a prominent belly, commonly known as a "beer belly," which is more common in middle-aged and elderly men and postmenopausal women. Excessive visceral fat increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and various other metabolic diseases, hence it is also called "dangerous fat."

Causes of visceral obesity

Genetic factors

The production of visceral fat is related to genes to some extent. According to surveys, people of East Asian descent have a higher chance of developing visceral obesity. A small number of people who are unusually obese may have genetic mutations.

Energy metabolism imbalance

Eating too much or exercising too little, or both, will cause calorie intake to exceed calorie expenditure, leading to fat accumulation in the body. When subcutaneous fat has nowhere to go, it migrates inward and accumulates in the internal organs. Even if someone's weight and body mass index are normal, it doesn't mean they are safe, because their fat deposits may already be excessive.

Long-term exposure to high pressure

People with endocrine disorders, who are under great pressure from work and life for a long time, are constantly in a state of tension, and often like to stay up late, may have excessive levels of cortisol, which can lead to the accumulation of visceral fat.

The dangers of visceral obesity

A moderate amount of fat around internal organs is normal, especially the fat near the kidneys and intestines, which helps support and stabilize these organs. However, excessive fat can impair their normal function. For example, too much fat around the heart can cause palpitations and shortness of breath during activity, due to the compression of the heart by surrounding fatty tissue. Excess visceral fat also produces toxins during metabolism, destroying beneficial bacteria and contributing to visceral poisoning and reduced function.

Visceral obesity can easily trigger metabolic syndrome, leading to hypertension, stroke, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and other conditions. It forms visceral fat obesity, which is characterized by fat accumulation centered on the abdomen. Visceral fat obesity is more likely to cause diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and other diseases than subcutaneous fat obesity.

How to detect visceral obesity

The diagnostic criteria for visceral obesity are as follows:

Waist circumference: Men > 90 cm, Women > 80 cm

Waist-to-hip ratio (the ratio of waist circumference to hip circumference): Men > 0.90, Women > 0.80

Slimming Tips

The area of ​​visceral fat can be measured using CT scans or MRI. The results are then analyzed using specialized software to calculate the area of ​​visceral fat. This value accurately reflects the degree of visceral fat accumulation. In Japan, an visceral fat area greater than 100 square centimeters is diagnosed as visceral obesity. While there are no specific diagnostic criteria in my country, studies have found that when the visceral fat area in Chinese individuals reaches approximately 80 square centimeters, they can exhibit the metabolic abnormalities seen in Japanese individuals with a visceral fat area of ​​100 square centimeters.

Dietary regulation for visceral fat reduction

To reduce visceral fat, it's crucial to eat three meals a day at regular times and in appropriate portions; this is especially important for visceral fat reduction. Breakfast should be nutritionally balanced and substantial. Lunch should be substantial, and dinner should be light. Avoid snacks, especially sweets, during your weight loss period. Many people have a habit of eating late-night snacks, which can easily disrupt metabolic function and lead to visceral obesity. Frequent alcohol consumption increases the risk of fatty liver disease, a common form of visceral obesity. The following foods are beneficial for reducing visceral fat:

Oolong tea

Oolong tea contains polyphenols and caffeine. Polyphenols increase the secretion of adrenaline, a hormone that stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, while caffeine inhibits the breakdown of adrenaline. The combined effect is to promote the consumption of accumulated body fat. Besides oolong tea, Pu-erh tea is another tea that can reduce body fat.

coffee

Drinking coffee before exercise can help burn fat more effectively. However, excessive coffee consumption is bad for the stomach. It's also important to note that you shouldn't add too much sugar to your coffee, and you shouldn't eat snacks while drinking it.

Foods rich in lecithin

Lecithin has emulsifying properties, dissolving lipids and preventing the accumulation of visceral fat. Additionally, it inhibits the absorption of fat in the intestines and prevents the breakdown and resynthesis of lipids in the liver, thus preventing fatty liver disease. Foods rich in lecithin include egg yolks, soybeans, and yeast, especially soybeans and processed soybean products, which contain not only lecithin but also soy saponins, which can reduce excess lipids.

Foods rich in capsaicin

Capsaicin can stimulate the central nervous system and promote the secretion of hormones from the adrenal cortex, thereby activating fat-decomposing enzymes (lipases) and making fat easier to use as energy. In other words, it can reduce visceral fat accumulation in the body and prevent obesity.

Chitosan

Chitosan is an animal dietary fiber obtained through chemical processing. It inhibits pancreatic proteins that break down fat, reducing fat absorption in the intestines and making it less likely for fat to accumulate in the body. Furthermore, it can adsorb bile acids in digestive juices, promoting their excretion. To secrete new bile acids, the body consumes cholesterol from the liver, thus lowering cholesterol levels.

Chinese chives

Chives are not only nutritious, but also have certain medicinal value. They contain volatile essential oils and sulfur compounds, which can promote appetite and lower blood lipids.