What is abdominal obesity and how is it treated?

According to Obesity - WHO, 2020 WHO, in Russia about 27 million people are obese. And 57% of the population is overweight. These conditions can be determined by the body mass index (BMI) of a person. But BMI does not take into account the waist circumference, and it is this indicator that may indicate the presence of such a dangerous condition as abdominal obesity.

What is abdominal obesity

Abdominal (visceral, or central) obesity is a condition in which so much fat builds up in the abdomen and abdomen that it begins to have a negative impact on health.

For example, in people with this trait, Obesity in adults: Prevalence, screening, and evaluation increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Overall mortality rates are also higher.

To understand if a person has visceral obesity, you need to measure the circumference of the waist. Here's how to do it right:

Stand up and find points just above the bump of your hipbone. Wrap the measuring tape around your waist at this level.
Make sure the tape is parallel to your waist.
Hold the tape tightly, but do not squeeze your skin or suck in your stomach.
Exhale and measure. Write down the result.

According to the WHO WHO, the waist circumference in women should be less than 80 cm, and in men - less than 94 cm. With indicators above this norm, the risks of various diseases increase.

How to treat abdominal obesity

Even a slight decrease in body weight (only 5–10%) positively affects Losing Weight on health, reducing the risks of developing the above diseases and reducing the severity of existing conditions up to complete remission.

And the amount of visceral fat can be changed only together with a decrease in the percentage of adipose tissue in general. And you need to lose weight not very quickly, but gradually. This is not just a one month diet, but a new lifestyle that includes long-term changes in daily eating and physical activity habits.

It is important that there is enough fiber in the diet - fresh vegetables and herbs. And grains and protein foods will keep you satiated and make you less likely to want to eat fast carbs like sweets and junk food. A significant contribution to the fight against visceral fat is made by the rejection of sugary drinks in favor of plain water.

Losing Weight: Getting Started by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides you with the following steps to get you started on losing weight:

Make a contract with yourself. In it, you can fix such things: how many kilograms you intend to lose, what changes in nutrition you will make and what plan of regular physical activity you will adhere to. Also indicate when you want to get the desired result.
Assess the current situation. Talk to your doctor about your health condition and keep a diary in which you write down everything you eat for several days. Determine what might be holding you back from working towards losing weight. For example, a work schedule that does not allow you to get enough physical activity. Think about how to overcome difficulties.
Set realistic and specific goals. After all, if you plan to lose 20 kg in a week, failure is inevitable. And it will make you feel frustrated. Also use clear language: not "I will train more," but "I will train three days a week for 15 minutes."
Find support. It will be easier for you to change your lifestyle if you enlist the support of family or friends. You can also join a group of people who, like you, are working on weight loss.
Analyze progress. Constantly review your weight loss program. Evaluate which parts of your plan are working well and which need to be changed. And set new goals if you are already approaching previously planned ones.

Not all people find it easy to fight overweight on their own. Sometimes you may need the help of several specialists - an endocrinologist, a nutritionist and a clinical psychologist on eating behavior. They may also prescribe weight loss medications. But such things are discussed with the patient individually and require regular dynamic monitoring of the state of the body.