–Ibrahim Suleiman Ph.D.
Depending on its location and impact on overall health, our body fat has been categorized into two: subcutaneous and visceral fat. The majority (about 90%) of the fat in our body is stored under our skin (subcutaneous). The remaining fat (about 10%) is stored in the abdomen and it is termed visceral fat (otherwise known as intra-abdominal or belly fat). Excessive belly fat poses serious health concerns.
Having excessive belly fat does not necessarily translate into obesity (BMI ≥ 30). People who are thin or normal-weight (BMI between 18.5 and 24.9) could have accumulated belly fat, which could exert deleterious effects on their health and sometimes be a root cause of death.
Belly fat is a risk factor for metabolic diseases such as diabetes and some cardiovascular disorders. It increases the risk of breast cancer in women. Excess abdominal fat could cause hormonal imbalance and disruption of hormonal function. For example, the abdominal fat in men facilitates the conversion of testosterone (a male hormone) to estradiol (a female hormone). Testosterone is essential for healthy fat distribution in Men. Excessive belly fat (if not controlled), reduces the amount of testosterone in men, which may likely decrease libido, and muscle strength, and increase the risk of erectile dysfunction, fatigue and depression.
If you want to determine your belly fat, the most reliable method is by MRI or CT scan. However, an at-home approach you can adopt is to calculate your waist-to-hip ratio. This is done by measuring your waist (part of the abdomen that lies between hips and rib cage) and hip circumference, and you divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement to get your waist-hip ratio. A normal waist-to-hip ratio should be less than 0.95 in men and less than 0.85 in women. When the ratio becomes greater than 0.95 (in men) or 0.85 (in women), it indicates excessive belly fat and a significant risk for health complications.
There is no single aetiology for belly fat accumulation. The cause of belly fat is usually a combination of genes, hormones, stress levels, dietary habits and amount of physical activity. Belly fat accumulation is promoted by a sedentary lifestyle, taking high sugar content foods, excessive alcohol consumption, and inadequate protein and dietary fibre intake. Losing belly fat is one of the most difficult yet attainable body transformations. This article focuses on things you can do to reduce excess intra-abdominal fat.
Consumption of foods that are rich in soluble fibre (for example beans, sweet potatoes, oats, apples, carrots and guavas) is essential to the belly fat loss regimen. Soluble fibres help to slow down food as it passes through your digestive tract. This in turn causes the feeling of fullness and eating less food, thereby promoting weight loss. However, these responses are not immediate, depending on the individual, it may take months, sometimes years to record a complete abdominal transformation.
Another important method of inducing the sense of fullness and decreasing appetite in order to control abdominal weight is the consumption of a high protein diet. Proteins are important in weight management because they induce the release of a hormone (known as peptide YY) that depresses appetite, thereby decreasing food consumption and weight gain.
Proteins play important role in building muscle mass. High protein diet-induced weight loss will not affect your muscle (no muscle wasting), rather, only the excessive fat (especially the belly fat) will be lost by this intervention. Some high protein foods include lean meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, and beans. Interestingly, in addition to providing high protein content, fishes (such as sardines and mackerels) are a good source of omega-3 fats, which may also help reduce visceral fat. Previous studies have shown that fish oil supplements significantly reduced liver and abdominal fat in people with fatty liver disease.
Apart from being rich in protein, some dairy products such as yoghurts also contain good bacteria (termed probiotics) that improve a healthy digestive system and enhance immune function. Studies have shown that having the right balance of good and bad bacteria can help with weight loss (especially loss of belly fat).
Consumption of green tea beverages is also recommended for the loss of belly fat. Green tea contains caffeine and antioxidants that boost metabolism to help you lose belly fat. Green tea consumption is best manifested when combined with exercise.
Resistance training (weight lifting or strength training) is beneficial for belly fat loss. To get the best out of physical activity, a combination of weight lifting exercise and aerobic exercise (such as walking, jogging, cycling, and swimming) is recommended for the greatest decrease in visceral fat. More so, doing these exercises under the guidance of an expert will yield the best results.
While adhering to most of these recommendations, one must get plenty of restful sleep to be able to get rid of belly fat. Sleep eases out stress, an important cause of abdominal fat. Stress increases abdominal fat by increasing the release of stress hormone (cortisol), which causes a deposit of fats in the abdomen, and increases the craving for a high-fat and carbohydrate-heavy diet. Sleep is an important stress management strategy that helps lower your cortisol level to near normal. Enough sleep means getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Excessive fat is related to a condition known as sleep apnea (where breathing stops intermittently during sleep). If you suspect sleep apnea, speak to your physician and get treated.
Now that we have discussed the dos of belly fat loss, it is time to mention some of the things you have to avoid. To achieve effective belly fat loss, you must cut your carbohydrate, sugar and fat intake. Margarine and excessive carbohydrate intake (over 100 grams per day) are strongly associated with belly fat development. This is especially true for refined carbohydrate foods such as white flour, white bread, white rice and pasta. According to a certain study, people who consume whole grains (e.g. wheat, corn and millets) are less likely to have excess abdominal fat than those who consumed refined carbohydrates.
Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages because they are loaded with liquid fructose, which can make you gain belly fat. You must control the amount of fruit juice you take because it is just as high in sugar as other sweetened beverages. Similarly, avoid alcohol as too much alcohol can also make you gain belly fat and develop central obesity (excess fat storage around the waist).
Adhering to only one of the recommendations in this article won’t give you the much-desired result. To achieve your target goal of losing that belly fat, you need to combine the different effective methods which encompass long-term healthy lifestyle modification. Keep track of what you eat and how much physical activity you get each day. There are freely available online applications/software to help you monitor your daily calorie intake and physical activity.