The simple answer is yes. It is possible to reduce visceral (belly) fat through healthy diet, exercise, stress reduction and good sleep. It may not be easy, but with some effort you can prevent or reduce this fat in your body. 

What is visceral fat and do I have it?

When you consume more food than your body needs for physical activity, your body stores this excess energy as fat. This could be fat that sits just under the skin called subcutaneous fat, or the deeper fat that is stored around your organs called visceral fat. A good way to tell if you have visceral fat is to measure your waist circumference. The general guidelines for waist circumference are as follows:

WOMEN			RISK
Caucasian, Europid	Indian (South Asian), Chinese, Japanese	Maori, Pacific Islander
80-88cm	Less than 80cm	Less than 88cm	Normal
More than 88cm	More than 80cm	More than 88cm	Higher

MEN			RISK
Caucasian, Europid	Indian (South Asian), Chinese, Japanese	Maori, Pacific Islander
94-102cm	Less than 90cm	Less than 102cm	Normal
More than 102cm	More than 90cm	More than 102cm	Higher

Visceral fat releases chemicals that can be harmful to your body. It can trigger inflammation and increase your risk of metabolic syndrome, heart disease and type 2 diabetes (if not already diagnosed). 

Risk factors

Some people are more prone to storing their excess energy as visceral fat. Risk factors include gender (men are more likely), drinking too much alcohol, ageing, your genes, having a low birth weight and menopause.

The good news is there are ways you can reduce your visceral fat.

Healthy diet

Choose a balanced diet that will help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Avoid foods that are high in simple sugars. Fructose, or sugar, can cause visceral fat to grow. Reduce the amount of sugary drinks, juices, refined grains, baked goods and processed foods in your diet. Eating to your energy needs can help prevent visceral fat from occurring or increasing. But remember, you will need less energy consumed than burned to reduce your visceral fat. Seeing a dietitian to assess your eating habits can assist in managing the right balance for you.

Exercise regularly

Although diet can have a significant impact, it may not be enough to reduce visceral fat by itself. Research has shown that exercise reduces visceral fat even if you do not lose weight. It is more about losing fat and adjusting your body composition, than just losing weight. If fat is replaced with muscle it will weigh more.  Having more muscles, and moving them, will reduce the amount of insulin that is circulating in your body. Excess insulin around your body makes it hang onto the fat. Exercise can signal the liver to burn the nearby visceral fat. Combining moderate aerobic exercise, such as brisk walks, and strength training works the best.

How much should you do? The National Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that you do cardiovascular exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week (150-300 minutes). This could include walking briskly, cycling, aerobic exercise, and at least two sessions of strength training a week. Try to create opportunities for increasing your incidental activity, for example reduce time spent sitting, park the car further away from your destination, or take the stairs instead of the lift.

However, in order to achieve weight loss and sustain it for the long term, research suggests a total of 300-420 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise per week is needed. This is along with at least two days a week of strength training. An exercise physiologist can recommend a program that will work for you.

Keep in mind that targeting your belly by doing sit-ups will not directly work to reduce visceral fat, but it is good for toning and building those muscles.

Reduce excess stress

Stress can lead to comfort eating. It can also cause the release of hormones that increase visceral fat. A few ways to manage stress is with exercise, relaxation and mindfulness.

Research has shown that just 15 minutes of meditation per day can make positive changes to the brain and other parts of the body. Focussing on your breath is one of the most common forms of meditation. There are a number of apps that can help you with this. Anytime you fully focus your attention on something is a form of meditation. So next time you do a crossword, a puzzle, or go for a walk, really focus on the activity and try and let any unrelated thoughts pass you by.

If you feel that stress is getting the better of you and you are unable to slow down your thoughts ask for help. You can call the Helpline on 1800 637 700 in the first instance and talk to a diabetes educator for advice.

Get a restful sleep

Poor sleep can increase feelings of hunger and your stress hormones. The general guidelines recommend seven to nine hours a night. See your health care team if you are having problems falling or staying asleep. Having a calm bed time ritual may help.

It may not be easy but through healthy eating, increasing your cardio exercise and strength training, reducing stress and getting a good night’s sleep you can prevent or reduce the dangerous visceral fat in your body. 

If you have any questions and would like to speak with a dietitian, diabetes educator or exercise physiologist please call us on the NDSS helpline 1800 637 700.

By Monica McDaniel-Wong, Credentialled Diabetes Educator