Visceral Fat : What is it and How to get rid of it ?

Excess visceral fat, also known as abdominal fat or visceral adipose tissue, is aesthetically embarrassing when it weighs down the figure. But did you know that it can also be dangerous to your health ? From type 2 diabetes to cardiovascular risk, central obesity is implicated in numerous diseases. Hence the importance of eliminating visceral fat quickly and sustainably ! Medical devices, diet, sport: we reveal the most effective methods for combating abdominal fat.

What is visceral or abdominal fat ?

Visceral fat is located deep in the abdomen. It can surround various organs, such as the liver, kidneys and pancreas. It should not be confused with subcutaneous fat, which is responsible for the famous love handles !

A little abdominal fat is normal. In fact, the cells called adipocytes simply store lipids to build up energy reserves for your body. That’s what they do !

Problems only arise when visceral adipose tissue is overdeveloped. Excess abdominal fat then causes inflammation and disrupts the body’s functions. At this point, it’s time to get rid of it !

What causes visceral fat?

The first step to eliminating visceral fat more easily is to understand its origins. In practice, excess intra-abdominal fat can have many causes, including :

• lack of sleep. Not least because sleep deprivation can deregulate the hormones that regulate hunger…and drive you to consume more sugar to combat fatigue ;
• smoking. According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Copenhagen, smoking promotes excess abdominal fat ;
• a sedentary lifestyle, as lack of physical activity also promotes visceral adiposity ;
• chronic stress, which leads to an increase in the production of cortisol, a hormone that promotes the storage of visceral fat;
• an unbalanced diet, too rich in sugar and fats ;
• excessive alcohol consumption, according to several studies, including one conducted by researchers at Wake Forest University (USA), published on the Journal of The American Heart Association website. (1)

So you can already reduce the storage of visceral fat by adopting a healthy lifestyle. But in some cases, excess abdominal fat can also be linked to :

• from hormonal imbalancesparticularly those of the menopause ;
• of genetic factors. In fact, some people are predisposed to ” make abdominal fat “This is the result of a major meta-analysis conducted by the Universities of Oxford, Exeter, Geneva, California and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI/NIH). (2)

What are the risks associated with abdominal fat ?

Excess visceral fat poses a number of risks to your health. These include the risk of developing :

• a metabolic syndrome. This one combines a high waistline, arterial hypertensioninsulin resistance syndrome or type 2 diabetes and abnormal cholesterol levels ;
• of cardiovascular disease (e.g. heart attack) ;
• certain cancerssuch as breast, colon and liver cancer.

Finally, according to a University of South Australia study published in 2021 (3), excess visceral fat even increases the risk of dementia and stroke!

How do you get rid of visceral fat ?

Contact a medical aesthetics center

Forget liposuction: it only removes subcutaneous fat. On the other hand, a medical-esthetic center will suggest other solutions to speed up the elimination of your visceral fat. In particular, they can advise you on to reduce it effectively. In the case of severe obesity, bariatric surgery such as gastric banding is often necessary to reduce excess visceral fat. Once the abdominal fat has been eliminated, a aesthetic medicine treatments such as cryolipolysis (destruction of adipose tissue by freezing) or body contouring body contouring surgery (e.g. liposuction) are possible to improve the aesthetic result.

Find out more about alternatives to liposuction

Regular physical activity

Unless there are specific medical contraindications, regular physical activity is highly recommended to reduce visceral fat. The question is which sport to choose.

Dr Boris Hansel, a specialist in metabolism at the Bichat – Claude Bernard Hospital (AP-HP), recommends endurance sports such as swimming, skiing, walking and cycling. What’s the right pace? At least 2h30 a week, possibly divided into several short sessions. To have a real impact on your abdominal fat, these sessions should last more than 10 minutes.

Please note

Sport is great, but don’t overdo it ! Why not ? Quite simply because overtraining generates stress, which in turn promotes the accumulation of visceral fat… Disturbed sleep, depression, weight loss: these are some of the warning signs of overtraining syndrome, according to the Institut Médical du Sport. Stay alert !

Also read: Top 10 exercises for a flat stomach

Adopt a healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle is also essential for eliminating visceral fat. In practice, it is especially recommended to:

• quit smoking. Don’t hesitate to get help from a tobaccologist to achieve this ;
• get enough sleep every day. As a rough guide, an adult should sleep 8 hours a night ;
• limit your alcohol consumption.

By the way, are you familiar with US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s recommendations on the subject of alcohol ? For your health, alcohol is a maximum of 2 glasses a day, and not every day. Keeping in mind that you shouldn’t exceed 10 glasses a week to protect your health !

Focus on good nutrition

Another good practice to combat visceral fat is to eat as healthily as possible. In concrete terms, this means :

• limit foods with a high glycemic index (e.g. white sugar, sweets, French fries, refined cereals). They lead to the production of large quantities of insulin, which can result in the storage of large amounts of abdominal fat ;
• also limit foods rich in saturated fatty acids (e.g. cold cuts, butter) and, more generally, all processed industrial foods (e.g. ready-made meals, breakfast cereals). They are generally very high in sugar and unhealthy fats.

Proteins, on the other hand, are your allies, whether of plant origin (e.g. legumes, wholegrain cereals, soy) or animal origin (e.g. white meat, fish, eggs). They promote satiety and boost your metabolism, making it easier to burn fat.

Fresh fruit and vegetables also provide plenty of fiber. Great when you consider that it reduces the absorption of unhealthy fats.

Last but not least, eat foods rich in good fats on a regular basis. They’ll help you stay full longer and increase your resting metabolism. Think of vegetable oils rich in omega-3 and omega-9 (e.g. olive oil, rapeseed oil), oily fish (e.g. salmon), avocado, nuts and other oil seeds.

Also read: The top 20 foods to eat to lose weight

Taking food supplements

Certain dietary supplements are reputed to facilitate the elimination of visceral fat. These include supplements containing omega-3, fiber and CLA (a fatty acid from the omega-6 family).

However, dietary supplements are not a substitute for a balanced diet.. As a precaution, we also recommend that you consult your doctor before taking any supplements. Some supplements could interfere with your medication, for example !

Reduce stress

If your excess abdominal fat seems to be stress-related, there are several relaxing activities you can try ! Like meditation or yoga, for example. Sophrology sessions can also help you relax. But if you’re suffering from chronic stress, you need to get to the root of the problem.

Are you stressed because of your work ? If so, you may want to delegate more. Or ask to telework a few days a week, to make it easier to reconcile your private and professional lives.

Whatever the case, you really should make time for laughter and relaxation every day. See as many of your loved ones as possible !

Is that not enough ? Then talk to your doctor.

Can beauty salon treatments help me lose visceral fat ?

First thing to know: massages and other slimming treatments offered by beauty salons only target subcutaneous fat. So they won’t have the effect you’re looking for.

Then there’s the case of slimming cures at a spa or thalassotherapy center. If the program includes sports sessions, relaxing anti-stress treatments and a healthy diet, it will undoubtedly help you begin to melt visceral fat. But you’ll need to continue your efforts after the cure to achieve lasting results.

Recourse to drug treatments

Sometimes, adopting a healthy lifestyle is not enough to reduce visceral adipose tissue sufficiently. This is particularly true after the menopause, when hormonal changes favor fat storage. That’s why, according to one study, it’s worth taking hormone replacement therapy during menopause. published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism on March 27, 2018. (4)

If necessary, we remind you that you can also use non-invasive medical devices to activate or amplify the melting of abdominal fatYou can also use non-invasive medical devices to activate or amplify abdominal fat reduction, either in the office or in medical-aesthetic centers.

How to measure visceral fat ?

To assess your visceral fat level, don’t rely on your BMI (Body Mass Index). In fact, you can have a perfectly normal BMI and still have excess visceral fat.

On the other hand, you can calculate your WHR (Waist/Hip Ratio), simply by dividing your waist circumference by your hip circumference. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), WHR should not exceed :

– 0.85 for women ;

– 0.9 for men.

Admittedly, it’s not very accurate, but it does give you an idea. However, if you really want to measure your visceral fat content, the best thing to do is to see your doctor.