Top News

New Delhi . Obesity is not limited to only increasing body weight or externally visible fat. Excess fat stored inside the body can also be important for health. Visceral fat, especially that accumulates deep in the abdomen around the internal organs, is considered serious in terms of metabolic health. Its increase may be associated with several health risks, including type-2 diabetes, heart disease and fatty liver.

Visceral fat is different from subcutaneous fat, which accumulates just beneath the skin. It can accumulate inside the abdominal cavity around vital organs like liver, intestine and pancreas. The body needs some amount of fat, but when excess fat accumulates around the internal organs, it can affect the body's normal metabolic processes.

Sometimes, the protruding stomach is visible even in people whose rest of the body is of relatively normal size. It is not considered right to ignore it considering it to be just a body structure. However, visceral fat cannot be definitively identified just by looking at the shape of the abdomen. This may require medical evaluation and testing as needed.

The problem of increasing visceral fat can be associated with conditions such as lack of physical activity, sitting for long periods of time, eating excess calories, excessive sugary drinks and increasing overall excess fat in the body. Age, genetic factors and lifestyle can also affect the distribution of fat in the body.

Visceral fat is of concern because it can play a role in insulin resistance and inflammatory processes in the body. Insulin is an important hormone that controls blood glucose in the body. When cells become less sensitive to insulin, it can become difficult to control blood sugar and the risk of type 2 diabetes may increase over time.

Excess belly fat has also been linked to conditions like cardiovascular risk, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol and metabolic syndrome. Apart from this, the risk of fatty liver may also increase. Therefore, instead of considering weight as the only measure of health, it is important to pay attention to the excess fat accumulated around the waist and other metabolic indicators.

Regular physical activity plays an important role in reducing visceral fat. Brisk walking, cycling, swimming and other aerobic activities can help increase energy expenditure and improve cardiovascular fitness. It is also important to adopt a balanced diet along with regular exercise.

Nutritious and fiber-rich foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, pulses, beans, nuts and seeds can be included in the diet. At the same time, limiting the intake of excessive calories, excess sugar and sweet drinks can be useful.

If waist size is continuously increasing despite normal weight or changes in blood sugar, blood pressure or cholesterol are seen along with it, then it is advisable to seek medical advice. Timely assessment and lifestyle modification can help control metabolic risks.