Why Belly Fat Loss Should Be a Priority

Whether you are a man or a woman, having a large belly is not a pleasant sight. This is why many exercise programs, fitness products, and diet regimens usually promise to help you achieve belly fat loss. As obesity rates around the world continue to rise, you can expect to see more people having fat deposited in their midsections. In the United States, half of all adults have "central obesity" or an apple-shaped body. But belly fat, also known as abdominal fat or visceral fat, does not just cause embarrassment when you go for a swim or problems when you are putting on clothes; it is also associated with an increased risk of serious diseases.rnBelly Fat Loss Can Help Protect Your BrainrnYes, you read that right: belly fat loss can help keep your brain healthy. Researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) found that belly fat in otherwise healthy middle aged people can lower total brain volume, which can potentially greatly increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease later on in life. The BUSM study involved 733 participants, 70 percent of whom were women, from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort. The mean age of the participants was 60.rnThe Framingham Heart Study started in 1948 and had more than 5,000 men and women from Framingham, Massachusetts as participants. Data from the study has been helping researchers do long term studies that look at the factors that contribute to heart disease. The BUSM researchers found a statistically significant link between belly fat and lower total brain volume.rnBelly Fat Loss and Your HeartrnAs you may probably be aware of, obesity has been linked to heart disease. However, scientists now believe that belly fat is a more accurate predictor of heart disease risk than body mass index (BMI). A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that heart patients with large bellies (greater than 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women) were 70 percent more likely to die during the study than those with smaller bellies.rnThe researchers noted that BMI is a flawed measurement tool because it does not tell you where fat is deposited in your body. Many athletes (particularly football players) and weight trainers can have BMI scores that are similar to out of shape people. You may be thin but you can still have belly fat. A muscular person can be classified as obese using BMI scores, when it is mostly his or her lean muscle mass that is responsible for his or her higher-than-average weight.rnAside from dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and heart disease, belly fat has also been linked to stroke, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Now that you are aware of these serious threats to your health, you should make belly fat loss a priority.