Health Risks Of Excess Visceral Fats
Many people want to get rid of fat to improve their physique. They think that being slim will make them look and feel better. However, stored excess fat in the body is not only unsightly but also dangerous to health. Fat around your organs can lead to medical conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and dementia.
What is visceral fat?
The accumulation of excess adipose tissue around your organs is risky. The visceral fat wrapped around kidney, liver, pancreas, and other vital organs in the abdominal cavity can impair the body functions. It can provoke inflammatory pathways in the body. The higher the level of visceral fat in the body, the greater the risk of developing serious health problems.
The body converts excess glucose in the bloodstream to fat after it has exceeded its storage level as glycogen. The consumption of processed carbohydrates and high sugar content foods results in the presence of large amount of simple sugars in the blood. This condition stimulates the release of a high level of insulin from the pancreas.
Consequently, the hormone(insulin) converts the excess sugars to glycogen and fat. However, the presence of high amount of insulin can cause overeating and accumulation of excess body fat. It can also lead to hormonal imbalance, increasing the risk of disease development.
Besides the consumption of lots of calories, growth and sex hormones, and cortisol production can increase the accumulation of visceral fat. As a result, some individuals have more stored excess body fat than others.
Detecting excess visceral fat
Storage of fat cells is noticeable in obese individuals. You may have excess visceral fat without knowing it. However, a large waist and protruding stomach is a sign of the condition. A waist measurement of 40 and 35 inches or above is an indication of excess fat respectively in men and women. You can use a tape to take the measurement.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most accurate method of detecting accumulated excess visceral fat. A scale that ranges from 1 to 59 is used to determine the result. Readings above 13 on the scale indicates the presence of excess visceral fat. Computed tomography can also be used to determine the storage of body fat.
An individual’s lifestyle and diet can lead to storage of excess fat in the abdominal cavity. Adjusting the diet can reduce the person’s visceral fat to the normal level.
Dangers of high levels of visceral fat
Excess body fat will not only make your clothing tight on you, it can also increase the risk of certain health conditions. High levels of fat stored around organs can lead to the following medical problems.
Inflammation
High levels of visceral fat promotes the production of cytokines, which are pro-inflammatory chemicals. These inflammatory molecules cause the body to become inflamed. The visceral fat can also trigger autoimmune reactions when inflamed. Eventually, the inflammation can lead to other health problems such as diabetes and arthritis.
Cardiovascular conditions and strokes
Visceral fat can increase the risk of heart diseases. It produces pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are the major cause heart diseases. These chemicals can inflame the body, leading to accumulation of deposits in the arteries. Besides, visceral fat is associated high cholesterol level and high blood pressure. These conditions are indicators of heart problems.
Increased risk of diabetes
Insulin resistance can result from excessive abdominal fat. Consequently, it can increase the risk of developing type II diabetes. Diabetic patients can improve their condition by reducing their visceral fat. A healthy diet is an excellent remedy for getting rid of abdominal fat.
Overweight
Visceral fat interferes with the functioning of hormones that control appetite. This disruption increases the hunger levels and can cause an individual to overeat. Consumption of processed carbohydrate can also increase your body weight. Besides, insulin converts excess glucose into fat after digestion of high sugar content foods.
Depression
Visceral fat is associated with mood issues such as depression. It disrupts the normal functioning of brain neurotransmitters. Individuals with excess belly fat are likely to suffer from depression.
High risk of dementia
Studies show that abdominal fat is associated with cognitive decline. It has an adverse effect on the brain’s memory center and can increase the risk of developing dementia. Individuals with excess visceral fat are likely to have poor brain function in their old age.
Visceral fat can interfere with human physiology. It can cause hormonal imbalance, leading to changes in brain function, appetite, mood, and weight. However, a healthy diet and lifestyle can help reduce visceral fat.
Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by amelin from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows. Please find us at the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
If you would like to delegate to the Minnow Support Project you can do so by clicking on the following links: 50SP, 100SP, 250SP, 500SP, 1000SP, 5000SP.
Be sure to leave at least 50SP undelegated on your account.
Congratulations @amelin! You have completed the following achievement on Steemit and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Click on the badge to view your Board of Honor.
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPDo not miss the last post from @steemitboard:
SteemitBoard and the Veterans on Steemit - The First Community Badge.