What is visceral fat? Why is it dangerous?

Visceral fat is a type of fat that the body stores in the abdominal cavity. It is located in close proximity to several vital organs including the liver, stomach and intestines. It can also build up in the arteries.
Visceral fat is located in the abdominal cavity, and is not easily visible.

The only way to definitively diagnose visceral fat is with a CT or MRI scan.

An easy way to tell if you have visceral fat is to measure your waist circumference. If you are a woman and your waist size is 35 inches or more, you are at risk for health problems from visceral fat. Men are at risk of health problems when their waist size is 40 inches or more. Visceral fat is usually rated on a scale of 1 to 59 when diagnosed with a body fat analyzer or an MRI scan. A healthy level of visceral fat is below 13. If your rating is 13-16 then visceral fat is dangerous, you should make lifestyle changes immediately.

Visceral fat can start causing health problems right away. It can increase insulin resistance, even without diabetes or prediabetes. Studies have shown that this may be due to quantification of the retinol-binding protein that increases insulin resistance secreted by this lipid. Visceral fat can also raise blood pressure rapidly.
Most importantly, dangerously excess visceral fat in the body increases the risk of developing several, life-threatening diseases. Includes:
Heart attack and heart disease Type 2 diabetes Stroke Breast cancer Colorectal cancer Alzheimer's disease

Fortunately, visceral fat is extremely easy to get rid of with exercise, diet, and lifestyle changes. For every pound you lose, you will also lose some amount of visceral fat in it.
4.1 Physical exercise When possible, you should exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Be sure to get plenty of cardio and strength training. Cardio that includes aerobic exercise, like cycling or running, will help burn fat faster. Strength training will slowly burn more calories over time as your muscles get stronger and consume more energy. Ideally, do 30 minutes of cardio 5 days a week and do strength training at least 3 times per week.
4.2 Reduce stress in life The stress hormone cortisol can actually increase the amount of visceral fat your body stores, so reducing stress in your life will make it easier to lose weight. Practice meditation, deep breathing, and stress management.
4.3 Eat smart Studies show that more calcium and vitamin D in your body can be associated with less visceral fat. So use green leafy vegetables like collard greens and spinach, tofu and sardines are also good choices.

Eliminate processed, high-sugar, high-fat foods from your diet, and add lean proteins, vegetables, and complex carbs like sweet potatoes, beans, and lentils.
Use low-fat cooking methods, such as baking, boiling, instead of frying. When you do use oils, use healthy ones like olive oil instead of butter or peanut oil.
4.4 Routine Health Checkup If you are a man and your waist circumference is more than 40 inches, or if you are a woman and your waist circumference is more than 35 inches, you should make an appointment with your doctor and discuss your risks. health and lifestyle changes.
Your doctor can check for health risks associated with a high percentage of visceral fat with tests such as blood tests or ECG scans, and they can refer you to a specialist nutrition.
Periodic health check-ups help to detect diseases early, so that there are treatment plans for optimal results. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has general health checkup packages suitable for each age, gender and individual needs of customers with a reasonable price policy, including:
Health checkup package diamond general health check-up package Vip special health check-up package Comprehensive general health check-up package Standard general health check-up package Patient's examination results will be returned to your home. After receiving the results of the general health examination, if any diseases are detected, they need to be examined and treated intensively.