Is there such a thing as an unhealthy body shape?
The Body Mass Index, BMI for short, has long been the standard for putting weight and health risk in relation to each other. It's quick, easy to calculate, and an inexpensive way to measure weight. You take your body weight and divide it by your height in meters squared.
However, this result does not represent at all how much body fat a person has, let alone how it is distributed in the body. These two variables are a much more important factor in assessing a person's health and metabolism.
A new study from the BMJ journal looked at different body types and their fat distribution to answer the question of whether this could be a risk for premature death.
Intra-abdominal or visceral fat is associated with a higher risk of mortality
In this study, the researchers examined the following parameters: Waist, hip and thigh circumference, as well as the ratio of waist to hip, waist to height, waist to thigh circumference; in addition, the Obesity Index, which includes hip circumference and height, and the Body Shape Index, which is calculated from waist, BMI and height.
They found that a larger hip and thigh circumference (also called pear shape) correlated with a lower risk of death. All measurements that suggested increased visceral fat were associated with an increased risk of death. This is what researchers call an apple shape. (Mostly thick belly and thin limbs).
What do these results mean?
The results showed that not only the absolute body fat percentage, but more importantly its distribution is a significant factor in health. Visceral fat poses a greater risk than obesity alone.
Visceral fat, which surrounds the internal organs, promotes inflammation and disrupts metabolic processes. This leads to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In contrast, fat around the hips or thighs is actually protective. The following values show this: total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycrides, arteriosclerosis, blood pressure, blood sugar and insulin levels as well as an increased sensitivity to insulin.
In summary, these results show that the use of BMI is only really meaningful with visceral fat measurements.
What can be done?
How can you reduce visceral fat now?
The bad news first. A lot of it is genetic disposition. The good news is that visceral fat breaks down just like normal body fat and the strategies are the same:
- A healthy diet that includes protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
- Restricting sugar in the diet.
- Exercise! Around 150 minutes a week.
- Sleep. Sufficient sleep. You can find out what that means in our article.
- Reduce chronic stress. Cortisol associated with chronic stress leads to weight gain and visceral fat storage.
Read more here: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-link-between-abdominal-fat-and-death-what-is-the-shape-of-health-2021021821960