It commonly goes by a variety of different monikers, including beer belly, spare tire and love handle. Everyone makes New Year's resolutions vowing to eliminate it, spending hundreds of dollars on gym memberships, fitness equipment and weight-loss programs - but the battle of the bulge seems never-ending.
Visceral fat, otherwise known as fat surrounding the abdomen and other internal organs, is considered a significant contributor to a variety of weight-related health problems. These health problems include heart disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. It's common knowledge that regular exercise is known to provide a wide range of health benefits, including weight loss and a reduction of total body fat. However, there are few studies examining the direct effects of exercise programs on changes in visceral fat levels.
In this randomized, controlled study, 175 sedentary adults between 40 and 65 years of age, all considered overweight or mildly obese and all with mild to moderate dyslipidemia, were assigned to a control group for six months, or to one of three exercise groups. The exercise groups were defined as follows: low amount/moderate intensity, equivalent to walking 12 miles per week; low amount/vigorous intensity, equivalent to jogging 12 miles per week; or high amount/vigorous intensity, equivalent to jogging 20 miles per week. Computed tomography scans were performed pre- and post-study to analyze changes in visceral fat, subcutaneous abdominal fat and total abdominal fat.
Researchers concluded that "in the control group, visceral fat levels increased by 8.6%, which was statistically significant. Visceral fat levels did not change significantly in either of the low-amount exercise groups. The high-amount exercise group experienced an average decrease in visceral fat of 6.9%, which was significant. Only the high-amount exercise [group] had any change in subcutaneous abdominal fat amount, which decreased in this group by 7.0%."
| General Recommendations for Physical Activity Adults should engage in moderate-intensity physical activities for at least 30 minutes on five or more days of the week. - CDC/American College of Sports Medicine OR Adults should engage in vigorous-intensity physical activity three or more days per week for 20 or more minutes per occasion. - U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (Healthy People 2010) For more detailed information, including a listing of physical activities defined by level of intensity, visit www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/recommendations. |
According to the researchers, their findings "suggest a clear dose-response relationship between exercise amount and changes in visceral fat." They emphasize that "even a relatively modest exercise program, consistent with the activity recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and American College of Sports Medicine, prevented significant increased visceral fat," and recommended that "until we are able to prevent weight regain after short-term dieting success, a greater emphasis toward prevention should be a major goal in the U.S."
So in 2006, keep that New Year's resolution and get rid of your beer belly, spare tire or love handle by adopting a consistent exercise program, following the recommendations at left. Consider it the start of a new, healthier you.
Source: Slentz CA, Aiken LB, Houmard JA, et al. Inactivity, exercise, and visceral fat. STRRIDE: a randomized, controlled study of exercise intensity and amount. Journal of Applied Physiology October 2005;99:1613-1618.
