How to Reduce Abdominal Fat?
Does the belly fat is unhealthy?
No. For people with body mass index of 34 or less abdominal fat is an additional risk to health. The fat that accumulates around the stomach and abdomen (sometimes intra-abdominal, or visceral) carries a greater health risk than fat stored in the lower body around the buttocks and hips. Some studies show that abdominal fat leads to raise blood pressure and heart problems. Because of this, some experts believe that waist circumference and fat distribution is more important than your actual weight in predicting future health risks or problems.
What causes belly fat?
The place where we accumulate fat (due to excess calories) is a combination of gender, age and heredity. Men tend to accumulate fat in the upper body (apple shape), while women typically accumulate fat around the pelvic region, waist, hips and buttocks (pear shape). However, women tend to develop an apple shape in its middle age, after menopause.
The stress and a flat stomach.
Some studies show that abdominal fat can be stored as a result of stress. This is because the hormone cortisol is released during stress, and high levels of cortisol appears to stimulate the accumulation of fat in the stomach. In a study at Yale University on 60 women found that those who were more stressed tended to accumulate more fat around the stomach and abdomen. Apparently this also happens with men. (more…)
