{"id":1115,"date":"2018-11-13T04:11:27","date_gmt":"2018-11-13T04:11:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/?p=1115"},"modified":"2018-11-13T04:14:05","modified_gmt":"2018-11-13T04:14:05","slug":"visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/","title":{"rendered":"Visceral body fat essential knowledge"},"content":{"rendered":"

Visceral body fat essentials<\/span><\/h2>\n

Along those lines, they reported that an increased WHR (i.e., android obesity) was predictive of coronary heart disease,\u00a0<\/span>and they also went on to report that men with a high proportion of body fat were at a <\/span>
\nsignificantly greater risk for the development of diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n

During this time, Ahmed Kissebah and his team from the University of Wisconsin in <\/span>
\nMilwaukee published several papers that were fully in line with the observations of the <\/span>Swedish researchers showing that the proportion of abdominal belly fat, estimated using <\/span>
\nthe WHF, was predictive of metabolic abnormalities increasing the risk of both type 2 <\/span>
\ndiabetes and cardiovascular disease. These two research groups led the field of obesity <\/span>
\nresearch providing early evidence that body fat storage patterns (assessed by simple <\/span>methods such as WHR) were a key predictor of metabolic abnormalities and health risks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite an explosion in obesity research and tremendous advances in technology, the <\/span>
\nproblem has only gotten worse. In a study jointly conducted in 2010, the International <\/span>
\nAssociation for the Study of Obesity (IASO) and the International Obesity Task <\/span>
\nForce (IOTF) estimated that approximately 1.5 BILLION people across the globe are <\/span>
\noverweight, with over 475 million obese adults.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of overweight and <\/span>
\nobesity has further increased since the IASO\/IOTF report was published just a few short years ago. In fact, the WHO reports that, in 2014, over 1.9 BILLION folks across the <\/span>world are overweight, with over 600 million of those folks being classified as obese.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s over a 25% increase in obesity in less than 5 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2 out of <\/span>
\nevery 3 adults in the United States are overweight or obese, and over one-third of the adult population is obese.<\/span><\/p>\n

In general, obesity is a substantial, independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and it\u2019s associated with diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and a host of metabolic issues. Research has shown that storing excess visceral belly fat, referred to as abdominal obesity, is associated with a constellation of metabolic alterations and health conditions including :<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes High triglycerides (e.g., high VLDL1 and VLDL2)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Low levels of large HDL2 particles (the so-called \u201cgood\u201d cholesterol) <\/span>
\n\u2022 High levels of small, dense LDL particles (small, dense particles are considered <\/span>
\nmore detrimental than large, fluffy particles15) <\/span>
\n\u2022 High levels of apolipoprotein B (which is considered a better predictor of <\/span>
\ncardiovascular risk than the more commonly used LDL14) <\/span>
\n\u2022 Cardiovascular disease <\/span>
\n\u2022 Hypertension <\/span>
\n\u2022 Certain cancers <\/span>
\n\u2022 Sleep apnea <\/span>
\n\u2022 Metabolic syndrome <\/span>
\n\u2022 Unhealthy levels of inflammation <\/span>
\n\u2022 Leptin resistance <\/span>
\nThe Skinny on Skinny Fat <\/span>
\nThere\u2019s a common misconception that body weight is a reliable and accurate depiction <\/span>
\nof health. However, the number on a scale says very little about one\u2019s level of fitness, <\/span>
\nbody fatness, fat storage patterns, and levels of lean body mass.<\/span><\/p>\n

Typically, an \u201cideal\u201d or \u201cnormal\u201d weight is calculated as a ratio of body weight to height. <\/span>
\nThe most commonly used tool is called the Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a person\u2019s <\/span>
\nweight (in kilograms) divided by his\/her height (in meters) squared (i.e., kg\/m2). Using this ratio, the BMI separates folks into the following categories:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Underweight (BMI < 18.5) <\/span>
\n\u2022 Normal weight (BMI 18.5 \u2013 24.9) <\/span>
\n\u2022 Overweight (BMI 25 \u2013 29.9) <\/span>
\n\u2022 Obese (BMI > 30) <\/span>
\nHence, the notion of \u201cnormal\u201d weight is born, but as mentioned above, there are many <\/span>
\nlimitations associated with the BMI and using this avenue to assess health and fitness. <\/span>
\nAlong those lines, recent research suggests that where folks store body fat\u2014even if they fit into the \u201cnormal weight\u201d category\u2014may drastically increase their risk of disease <\/span>
\nand death.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, a group of researchers <\/span>
\nled by Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, director of preventive cardiology at the Mayo <\/span>
\nClinic, examined 14 years worth of data including over 15,000 study participants to <\/span>
\ndetermine the potential connection between \u201cnormal-weight obesity\u201d and the risk of <\/span>
\ncardiovascular disease and death. They found that folks who are \u201cnormal weight\u201d but <\/span>
\nstore an excessive amount of fat in their mid-sections were more than twice as likely to die from cardiovascular disease compared to \u201cobese\u201d people whose body fat was more equally distributed throughout their bodies.<\/span><\/p>\n

To put the increased risk of disease and death into perspective, Dr. Lopez-Jimenez said, \u201cBeing normal weight with mid-section obesity is comparable to smoking a half to a full pack of cigarettes daily.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A number of important lessons and practical applications can be gleaned from this <\/span>
\nresearch and information. For one, it\u2019s possible to be \u201cnormal weight\u201d and \u201cmetabolically obese,\u201d which Dr. Lopez-Jiminez and colleagues13 have defined as having:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Normal BMI <\/span>
\n\u2022 High visceral fat <\/span>
\n\u2022 High body fat percentage <\/span>
\n\u2022 Low muscle mass <\/span>
\n\u2022 Reduced insulin sensitivity <\/span>
\n\u2022 High blood sugar <\/span>
\n\u2022 High triglycerides <\/span>
\n\u2022 Reduced HDL cholesterol <\/span>
\nConversely, it\u2019s possible to be \u201cobese\u201d yet \u201cmetabolically healthy,\u201d which involves <\/span>
\nincreased levels of body fat, low levels of visceral fat, a normal metabolic profile, and <\/span>
\nhigh insulin sensitivity. Some refer to this as \u201cfit but fat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Secondly, using a ratio of body weight to height (i.e., BMI) can be a relatively poor indicator of health and fitness. With that in mind, it\u2019s important to use other measurements to determine health risk. While body composition testing (i.e., ratio of fat <\/span>
\nto lean mass) is arguably the most accurate means to discern health status, using waist circumference and waist-hip ratios may be alternative options.<\/span><\/p>\n

In general, women who have a waist circumference greater than 35 inches and men <\/span>
\nwhose waist measurement is 40 inches or more are considered to have \u201ccentral obesity\u201d <\/span>
\nand be at \u201csubstantially increased\u201d risk for cardiovascular disease and metabolic <\/span>
\ncomplications. With that said, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), women with a waist circumference greater than 31.5 inches and men with a waist circumference greater than 37 inches are at an \u201cincreased\u201d risk for metabolic complications.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some research suggests that waist-hip ratio may be an even better predictor of health risk than waist circumference. According to the WHO and other professional health organizations, abdominal obesity is defined as a waist\u2013hip ratio of 0.85 for females and 0.9 or more for men, and folks that fit into these categories are considered to be at <\/span>
\n\u201csubstantially increased\u201d health risk because of their fat distribution.<\/span><\/p>\n

There appears to be a number of factors that contribute to excessive storage of belly <\/span>
\nfat, including some that may be out of your control, including:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Age <\/span>
\n\u2022 Gender (e.g., men are more likely to accumulate fat in the android pattern) <\/span>
\n\u2022 Sex hormones (e.g., low testosterone in males is associated with increased visceral belly fat) [Note that sex hormones may be modified by lifestyle and behavioral factors.]<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Genetics <\/span>
\n\u2022 Ethnicity (e.g., African-American and Hispanic populations seem to be at a higher <\/span>
\nrisk)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Central and peripheral nervous systems (e.g., endocannabinoid system)<\/span><\/p>\n

Having said that, there are several modifiable lifestyle and behavioral factors, well within <\/span>
\nyour control, that can be addressed to prevent the accumulation of and\/or reduce the amount of existing visceral fat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Exercise <\/span>
\nA sedentary lifestyle, an overall lack of physical activity, and low levels of fitness are associated with abdominal obesity. As mentioned above, it should be noted that <\/span>
\n\u201cnormal-weight obesity\u201d is typically associated with lower levels of muscle mass. This is often described as being \u201cskinny fat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately, a number of studies have examined the impact of exercise on visceral <\/span>
\nfat, and while the exact amount (i.e., volume) and intensity is still being investigated, <\/span>
\na substantial body of evidence suggests that a combination of resistance training and <\/span>
\naerobic conditioning (including moderate and intense cardiovascular activity) may be optimal to reduce\/attenuate abdominal obesity. The additional advantage to including resistance training is that it is the primary means by which to increase muscle mass, and it <\/span>
\nis also very effective at improving carbohydrate tolerance and insulin sensitivity.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), a combination of moderate- to high-intensity exercise performed for a total of at least 250 minutes per week <\/span>
\n(i.e., 5 \u2013 6 days of 45 \u2013 60 minutes of exercise) is associated with significant weight loss.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stress Management <\/span>
\nExcessive stress or the inability to cope with stress may also be a contributing factor to <\/span>
\ncentral obesity. From a body composition standpoint, stress has been associated with <\/span>
\nweight gain, which it may drive through multiple pathways:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Through eating behaviors and diet quality <\/span>
\n2. Through biological processes <\/span>
\nWith regard to the latter, excess stress or the inability to cope with stress may contribute to storing excess belly fat (i.e., visceral fat). You may be familiar with the \u201cstress hormone\u201d cortisol, which appears to have a direct connection to fat accumulation, and in <\/span>
\nparticular, abdominal fat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Studies have shown that folks with high waist-hip ratios tend to have poor coping <\/span>
\nskills and secrete more cortisol when faced with a stressful situation. This suggests a relationship between cortisol and abdominal fat accumulation, and additional studies <\/span>
\nhave identified a similar association between cortisol concentrations, coping skills, chronic stress, and excess belly fat.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are a number of potential explanations for the stress-cortisol-belly fat connection.<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, the enzyme (i.e., HSD) that \u201cactivates\u201d cortisol from its inactive form (i.e., cortisone) is more prevalent in visceral fat than subcutaneous fat tissue. What\u2019s more, <\/span>
\nvisceral fat tissue has greater blood flow and four times as many cortisol receptors (compared to subcutaneous). Even more, research shows that cortisol increases <\/span>
\nlipogenesis, which is the process of fat synthesis and storage.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that the hormone cortisol is not inherently \u201cbad.\u201d In fact, it serves <\/span>
\nvery important physiological function. In the short-term, along with the catecholamines, <\/span>
\ncortisol is essential for adaptation, homeostasis, and survival. For instance, cortisol (which belongs to the glucocorticoid family of hormones) has a profound effect on blood sugar regulation, as its role is to liberate glucose when blood sugar levels are low.<\/span><\/p>\n

Obviously, that would be very important during acute periods of stress when energy is <\/span>
\nneeded (e.g., fasting, exercise).<\/span><\/p>\n

However, issues arise when stress is long-lasting, which can have damaging effects on <\/span>
\nthe body and health. In excess, cortisol can negatively impact cardiovascular health, <\/span>
\nbody weight, energy levels, and wellbeing.<\/span><\/p>\n

The impact of stress on eating behaviors and diet quality is a profound one, and stress has been associated with higher caloric intake, increased saturated fat and sugar consumption, and poor diet quality.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEmotional eating\u201d is defined as eating to relieve negative emotions (e.g., unhappiness, anxiety, or anger), and stress has been well documented as a key negative emotion involved in emotional eating. Emotional eaters typically consume more calories, they eat more frequently, and they indulge in greater amounts of highly palatable, high\ufffecalorie, sweet, high-fat foods in response to emotional stress.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s no secret that stress can be a \u201ctrigger\u201d for overeating. In fact, research shows that around 70% of individuals increase their food intake during periods of stress.<\/span><\/p>\n

Females, overweight individuals, and folks who think about food or body weight obsessively are more likely to eat when stressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

As one might expect, research also shows that stress-induced eating typically involves <\/span>
\na predisposition for high-sugar and high-fat foods, which are \u201ccomfort foods\u201d known to provide strong rewarding effects and reinforce snacking.<\/span><\/p>\n

Studies have shown that emotional eaters may try to regulate the negative emotions <\/span>
\ncaused by everyday life through eating behavior, and while their chosen \u201cfoods\u201d may provide short-term \u201ccomfort\u201d from stress, they also drive appetite for these unhealthy <\/span>
\nfoods at the same time, which ups the risk of weight gain. The benefits on mood may <\/span>
\nbe fleeting, but for most people, the short-lived feelings of wellbeing may be sufficient to <\/span>
\npromote repeated attempts to boost mood through stress eating patterns.<\/span><\/p>\n

This pattern of stress-induced, emotional eating creates a negative, vicious, <\/span>
\nperpetuating cycle of overeating and weight gain, followed by restriction, which again <\/span>
\nleads to overeating and weight gain.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s worth noting that there are a number of factors that can contribute to the stress <\/span>
\nequation\u2014and subsequently, influence the release of cortisol\u2014including psychosocial <\/span>
\nstressors, food intake, sleep quality and quantity, exercise, and more. Thus, it\u2019s a <\/span>
\ngood idea to examine your overall \u201cstress web\u201d to identify how various domains (e.g., <\/span>
\nphysical, mental, emotional, environmental, financial, spiritual) may contribute to your <\/span>
\noverall stress levels (i.e., allostatic load).<\/span><\/p>\n

Stress management can be tricky, but there are a number of things that you can start <\/span>
\npracticing daily that can all contribute to healthy stress levels:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Yoga has been shown to exert powerful \u201canti-stress\u201d effects and cortisol-reducing<\/span><\/p>\n

capabilities.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Mindfulness meditation, which is a form of meditation where you focus your <\/span>
\nawareness on your breathing and body in the present moment, has been shown <\/span>
\nto lower both stress and cortisol levels.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Regular physical activity, managing finances, and healthy relationships can all <\/span>
\ncontribute to healthy stress levels.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Shinrin-yoku, which is also known as \u201cforest bathing,\u201d typically involves taking a <\/span>
\nleisurely walk in nature. Forest bathing is commonly practiced for the purpose of relaxation and stress management, and studies show that it can reduce sympathetic nervous system activity (i.e., fight or flight), increase parasympathetic <\/span>
\nnervous system activity (i.e., rest and digest), and lower cortisol levels.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, there may be certain dietary supplements that can help reduce cortisol and <\/span>
\nlower stress. While herbalists have known this for centuries, more and more research <\/span>
\nsuggests that certain herbs (i.e., adaptogens) may be helpful in combating cortisol and <\/span>
\nimproving stress levels. For instance, Rhodiola rosea has been shown to decrease cortisol levels, exert an anti-fatigue effect, increase the ability to concentrate, and lower <\/span>
\nstress. Another adaptogenic herb, Ashwagandha has been shown to have a dramatic cortisol lowering effect.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brings whole new meaning to the phrase, \u201cTake a chill pill,\u201d doesn\u2019t it? <\/span>
\nNutrition <\/span>
\nNot surprisingly, nutrition behaviors and food intake appear to have a direct impact on <\/span>
\ncentral obesity, and what\u2019s more, studies that combine regular physical activity with <\/span>
\ndiet interventions (i.e., resistance and\/or aerobic exercise PLUS a reduced-calorie <\/span>
\ndiet) result in even more significant reductions in visceral fat than either individually.<\/span><\/p>\n

As cited above, poor insulin sensitivity and carbohydrate tolerance coincide with <\/span>
\nexcessive abdominal obesity, and there\u2019s evidence to suggest that diets rich in refined <\/span>
\ncarbohydrates (e.g., sugar-sweetened beverages) may selectively promote the storage of belly fat.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, excessive consumption of saturated fats also appears to be linked to <\/span>
\nvisceral fat storage. Conversely, researchers have shown that replacing saturated <\/span>
\nfats with more monounsaturated fats (i.e., Mediterranean diet) prevents visceral belly fat gain despite consuming an equal number of calories. Additionally, adherence to the Mediterranean diet has been shown to be associated with lower waist circumference values independent of body weight in both men and women.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps overtly obvious, long-term energy excess (i.e., overconsumption of calories) also leads to increases in overall body fatness and increases in abdominal obesity, and along those lines, research suggests that reduced-calorie diets (regardless of macronutrient composition) are effective at decreasing abdominal obesity. With that said, there is evidence that higher-protein (i.e., > 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day), \u201ccontrolled carbohydrate\u201d (i.e., <40% of calories from carbohydrate) <\/span>
\nreduced-calorie diets may be more effective at reducing visceral fat.<\/span><\/p>\n

While overall nutritional factors like those outlined above seem to play a role, it\u2019s a bit <\/span>
\nless clear as to whether body fat distribution patterns can be influenced by specific <\/span>
\nfoods\/nutrients. Having said that, the following lists of foods can be a solid foundation to <\/span>
\nbe used along with an overall healthy diet, regular physical activity, and routine stress management strategies to help fight visceral belly fat.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Cold-Water Fatty Fish <\/span>
\nCold-water, fatty fish (e.g., salmon, mackerel, herring, anchovies, sardines) are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, <\/span>
\nwhich boost mood and ease anxiety and stress.<\/span><\/p>\n

In one study, researchers from France evaluated the effects of supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids on the stimulation of the sympathetic nervous <\/span>
\nsystem and stress hormones. They found that three weeks of omega-3 supplementation <\/span>
\nsignificantly blunted cortisol and sympathetic nervous system activity when participants <\/span>
\nwere challenged with a mental task.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of the International Society <\/span>
\nof Sports Nutrition, researchers from Gettysburg College assessed the effects <\/span>
\nof supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids on cortisol levels. After 6 weeks of <\/span>
\nsupplementation, they found that participants\u2019 levels of cortisol were reduced. Not only <\/span>
\nthat, participants who supplemented with fish oil also significantly reduced body fat and <\/span>
\nincreased calorie-burning lean mass.<\/span><\/p>\n

As previously noted, chronically elevated levels of cortisol may specifically contribute <\/span>
\nto abdominal obesity. What\u2019s more, elevated cortisol levels have been shown to be <\/span>
\npositively associated with abdominal sagittal (waist) diameter and waist-to-hip ratio, two <\/span>
\nindicators of visceral fat and abdominal obesity.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to a review study published in the journal Nutrients, South Australian researchers concluded that there is \u201cconsiderable\u201d evidence from animal studies indicating that supplementation with omega-3 fats (i.e., EPA, DHA) can reduce body <\/span>
\nfat, in particular visceral belly fat. The researchers cited several studies where <\/span>
\nomega-3 fats had a protective effect against fat accumulation. In other words, in studies <\/span>
\nwhere animals overfed high-fat, high-calorie diets supplemented with omega-3s, they <\/span>
\nexperienced significantly less belly fat accumulation compared to without.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s great, but what about humans like you and I? Good news. There is indeed <\/span>
\nevidence\u2014and it\u2019s growing to boot\u2014indicating that increasing the intake of omega-3 <\/span>
\nfatty acids (by 0.3 \u2013 3.0 grams per day) can reduce body fat, particularly abdominal fat, in overweight and obese folks.<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, in a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, <\/span>
\nresearchers from Spain found that abdominal obesity was inversely related to the <\/span>
\nomega-3 (particularly DHA) intake.71 In a follow-up study, the researchers found that <\/span>
\nomega-3 intake was inversely related to the size of fat cells in overweight and obese <\/span>
\nadults. Taken together, these findings suggest that a higher omega-3 intake is <\/span>
\nassociated with reduced visceral belly fat as a result of a decrease in the size of fat cells.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a randomized controlled trial published in the journal International Journal of <\/span>
\nObesity, researchers from Iceland investigated the effects of including seafood and fish oil as part of a reduced-calorie diet on weight loss in young overweight adults. The <\/span>
\nresearchers found that the addition of fatty fish (5.3 ounces of salmon 3 times per week) <\/span>
\nor fish oil (1.5g of EPA and DHA per day) for 8 weeks resulted in significantly greater <\/span>
\nweight loss and reductions in waist circumference (i.e., visceral fat) compared to diet alone (without the addition of omega-3 fats).<\/span><\/p>\n

Even more compelling, a recent meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials published<\/span><\/p>\n

in the journal PLoS One provides additional evidence that omega-3 fats may reduce <\/span>
\nvisceral belly fat. For instance, 8 studies (including 624 participants) investigated the effects of fish oil supplementation on waist circumference combined with a weight-loss program (e.g., diet, exercise). The results demonstrated that fish oil had a significant <\/span>
\nadditional effect in reducing waist circumference, a measure of abdominal obesity, in combination with a weight-loss program.<\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, fish oil plus diet and\/or exercise had a greater effect than diet and\/<\/span>
\nor exercise alone. What\u2019s more, this comprehensive review also found that fish oil<\/span><\/p>\n

supplementation had a significant effect on waist-to-hip ratio, another important metric of visceral fat and overall health. The results of 17 different studies (with over 1,000 <\/span>
\nparticipants) showed that supplementation with omega-3 fats significantly reduces waist\ufffeto-hip ratio both as standalone treatment and when combined with a weight-loss program.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taken together, the researchers concluded that folks \u201cmay benefit from reducing <\/span>
\nabdominal fat with fish oil supplementation especially when combined with life <\/span>
\nmodification intervention\u201d (e.g., diet and exercise).<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Pasture-Raised Meat & Eggs <\/span>
\nWhen it comes to fat loss, there\u2019s arguably not a generally more effective nutrition strategy than optimizing protein intake. Research illustrates quite clearly and convincingly that increasing dietary <\/span>
\nprotein intake to at least TWICE the RDA (i.e., \u2265 1.6g\/<\/span>
\nkg or 0.72 g\/lb) may be \u201cmetabolically advantageous,\u201d particularly for individuals looking to improve body <\/span>
\ncomposition as well as physically active folks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Higher protein diets have been shown to:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Accelerate fat loss and spare lean body mass while following a reduced-calorie diet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Attenuate weight regain and contribute to long-term weight maintenance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Optimize 24-hour muscle protein synthesis and facilitate the maintenance or <\/span>
\nbuilding of muscle mass, which is critical for preserving metabolic rate and<\/span><\/p>\n

preventing weight regain.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Boost metabolic rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Preserve metabolic rate after weight loss.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Increase satiety and improve appetite control.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Improve carbohydrate metabolism and glycemic regulation.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, there\u2019s evidence that protein intake may be particularly effective against belly fat. For instance, in a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, <\/span>
\nresearchers from Denmark assessed the diet and macronutrient intake on waist <\/span>
\ncircumference among a large group (over 40,000) of people over the course of 5 years. <\/span>
\nThey found that, besides fruit and vegetable intake, only protein intake (specifically, animal protein) was inversely associated with belly fat.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, a recent study published in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism demonstrated<\/span><\/p>\n

that the amount of quality protein consumed was inversely related to abdominal fat. In <\/span>
\nother words, people who ate more high-quality protein had less belly fat. And when it <\/span>
\ncomes to quality protein (e.g., amino acid profile, digestibility), animal proteins (such as <\/span>
\nmeat and eggs) are at the top of the list.<\/span><\/p>\n

When buying meat and eggs, it\u2019s best to purchase products from pasture-raised animals<\/span><\/p>\n

whenever possible. In a recent systematic review and meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Nutrition, a group of researchers critically analyzed data from 67 different studies comparing the composition of organic (i.e., grass-fed, pasture-raised) and non\ufffeorganic (i.e., conventional) meat products. They found that meat from pasture-raised animals contained 47% more omega-3 fatty acids than conventional meat products.<\/span><\/p>\n

Further, several studies have examined the nutritional content of eggs from pasture raised hens compared to eggs from commercial caged chickens. In a study conducted by researchers in Penn State\u2019s College of Agricultural Sciences, eggs from pasture raised hens were shown to have 2 \u00bd times more omega-3 fats and less than half the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Pasture-Raised Dairy <\/span>
\nLike meat and eggs, dairy (e.g., yogurt) is high-quality source of protein. Numerous studies have shown <\/span>
\nan inverse association between dairy intake and abdominal obesity. Even more interesting\u2014and perhaps<\/span><\/p>\n

counterintuitive\u2014is that recent research has shown that a high intake of dairy fat (e.g., full-fat milk and yogurt) is associated with less belly fat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Also like meat and eggs, it\u2019s best to choose products from organic, pasture-raised <\/span>
\nanimals when possible. A recent systematic review found that organic milk was <\/span>
\nsignificantly higher than conventional milk in omega-3 fats, by an estimated 56% more, organic milk contained an estimated 41% more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).<\/span><\/p>\n

CLA has been shown to improve body composition (i.e., reduce body fat, increase lean body mass), enhance immunity, and promote a healthy inflammatory response. Even more, there is also some evidence that CLA may reduce visceral belly fat.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Visceral body fat essentials Along those lines, they reported that an increased WHR (i.e., android obesity) was predictive of coronary heart disease,\u00a0and they also went on to report that men with a high proportion of body fat were at a significantly greater risk for the development of diabetes. During this time, Ahmed Kissebah and his… Continue reading Visceral body fat essential knowledge<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1117,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1115","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-related-posts","entry"],"yoast_head":"\nVisceral body fat essential knowledge - africasiaeuro natural health<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Visceral body fat essential knowledge - africasiaeuro natural health\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Visceral body fat essentials Along those lines, they reported that an increased WHR (i.e., android obesity) was predictive of coronary heart disease,\u00a0and they also went on to report that men with a high proportion of body fat were at a significantly greater risk for the development of diabetes. During this time, Ahmed Kissebah and his… Continue reading Visceral body fat essential knowledge\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"africasiaeuro natural health\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nicecotedazur1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nicecotedazur1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-11-13T04:11:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2018-11-13T04:14:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/20181113_030305.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"725\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Heinz Rainer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Heinz Rainer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"19 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Heinz Rainer\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/011203ddbd2549d711ab09c0f7c1df95\"},\"headline\":\"Visceral body fat essential knowledge\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-11-13T04:11:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-11-13T04:14:05+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":3817,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/011203ddbd2549d711ab09c0f7c1df95\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/11\\\/20181113_030305.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"health\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\\\/\",\"name\":\"Visceral body fat essential knowledge - africasiaeuro natural health\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/11\\\/20181113_030305.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-11-13T04:11:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-11-13T04:14:05+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/11\\\/20181113_030305.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/11\\\/20181113_030305.jpg\",\"width\":1080,\"height\":725},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Visceral body fat essential knowledge\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/\",\"name\":\"africasiaeuro natural health\",\"description\":\"the green approach\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/011203ddbd2549d711ab09c0f7c1df95\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"Person\",\"Organization\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/011203ddbd2549d711ab09c0f7c1df95\",\"name\":\"Heinz Rainer\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/poomse1.jpg\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/poomse1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/poomse1.jpg\",\"width\":385,\"height\":228,\"caption\":\"Heinz Rainer\"},\"logo\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/poomse1.jpg\"},\"description\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/ - pages Textile industries, art collector, art connoisseur - instagram : https:\\\/\\\/instagram.com\\\/africasiaeuro - photoshelter : https:\\\/\\\/aheneghana.photoshelter.com\\\/archives - blog : https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/wordpress\\\/\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/nicecotedazur1\",\"https:\\\/\\\/instagram.com\\\/nicecotedazur1\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/africasiaeuro.com\\\/tvreporter\\\/author\\\/heinz-rainer\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Visceral body fat essential knowledge - africasiaeuro natural health","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Visceral body fat essential knowledge - africasiaeuro natural health","og_description":"Visceral body fat essentials Along those lines, they reported that an increased WHR (i.e., android obesity) was predictive of coronary heart disease,\u00a0and they also went on to report that men with a high proportion of body fat were at a significantly greater risk for the development of diabetes. During this time, Ahmed Kissebah and his… Continue reading Visceral body fat essential knowledge","og_url":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/","og_site_name":"africasiaeuro natural health","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nicecotedazur1","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nicecotedazur1","article_published_time":"2018-11-13T04:11:27+00:00","article_modified_time":"2018-11-13T04:14:05+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1080,"height":725,"url":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/20181113_030305.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Heinz Rainer","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Heinz Rainer","Est. reading time":"19 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/"},"author":{"name":"Heinz Rainer","@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/#\/schema\/person\/011203ddbd2549d711ab09c0f7c1df95"},"headline":"Visceral body fat essential knowledge","datePublished":"2018-11-13T04:11:27+00:00","dateModified":"2018-11-13T04:14:05+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/"},"wordCount":3817,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/#\/schema\/person\/011203ddbd2549d711ab09c0f7c1df95"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/20181113_030305.jpg","articleSection":["health"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/","url":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/","name":"Visceral body fat essential knowledge - africasiaeuro natural health","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/20181113_030305.jpg","datePublished":"2018-11-13T04:11:27+00:00","dateModified":"2018-11-13T04:14:05+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/20181113_030305.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/20181113_030305.jpg","width":1080,"height":725},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/visceral-body-fat-essential-knowledge\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Visceral body fat essential knowledge"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/#website","url":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/","name":"africasiaeuro natural health","description":"the green approach","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/#\/schema\/person\/011203ddbd2549d711ab09c0f7c1df95"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/#\/schema\/person\/011203ddbd2549d711ab09c0f7c1df95","name":"Heinz Rainer","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/poomse1.jpg","url":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/poomse1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/poomse1.jpg","width":385,"height":228,"caption":"Heinz Rainer"},"logo":{"@id":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/poomse1.jpg"},"description":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/ - pages Textile industries, art collector, art connoisseur - instagram : https:\/\/instagram.com\/africasiaeuro - photoshelter : https:\/\/aheneghana.photoshelter.com\/archives - blog : https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/wordpress\/","sameAs":["https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nicecotedazur1","https:\/\/instagram.com\/nicecotedazur1"],"url":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/author\/heinz-rainer\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1115","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1115"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1115\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1115"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1115"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africasiaeuro.com\/tvreporter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}