Dr Zoe Williams discusses visceral fat on This Morning
It’s best to lose visceral fat through exercise, according to experts. While diet is part of the equation, researchers have found exercise plays a key role in preventing and reducing the build-up of the belly fat.
A study published in 2005 in the Journal of Applied Physiology demonstrated how exercise is key to preventing and losing belly fat.
There were 175 people who took part in the study – these people didn’t exercise and were all overweight.
They were put into one of four groups: a no-exercise group; or one of three exercise groups.
After just six months, there were differences in belly fat.
We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.
Those in the no-exercise group gained more belly fat, but not the people in the exercise groups – they were able to prevent or lose belly fat.
And when it comes to the best type of exercise to do, moderate exercise has shown to work best.
The scientists in the study found doing a brisk 30-minute walk, six days a week was enough to prevent more build-up of belly fat.
Doing more – not harder – exercise was shown to work best to lose belly fat.
Another study demonstrated how diet alone is not enough to reduce visceral fat.
The study involved 33 older women who were all obese and had type 2 diabetes.
It looked at three ways to lose weight: a low-calorie diet; a low-calorie diet plus walking for 50 minutes three times a week, used as exercise; or just walking. This lasted for 13 weeks.
At the end, the low-calorie diet was found not to work on belly fat. But diet plus exercise (walking) did.
Just the exercise (walking) worked two. These two groups lost around the same amount of belly fat.
But don’t forget strength training such as weight lifting, warns John Hopkins Medicine.
It advises to also limit fat in your diet.
It says: “Take a look at the nutrition label. It tells how much total and saturated fat is in a food.
“Change your daily menus to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, fish or vegetable proteins and whole grains.
“These are all naturally low in fat.
“Use lower-fat cooking methods; broil or bake instead of frying.”
Source: Read Full Article