Good Lifestyle

As you have probably realized, it becomes more difficult to lose weight as you age. A slower metabolism, hormonal changes And lifestyle factors all contribute to it. And for these reasons, excess fat tends to accumulate in the belly. This is known as visceral fat, and as it surrounds the internal organs, it is particularly dangerous. Example: new research shows that visceral fat can increase your risk of developing heart disease.

In relation: 10 Best ways to remove your most unhealthy belly fat, according to doctors .

What is visceral fat?

There are two types of body fat. The subcutaneous fat is just below the skin and represents about 90% of a person's body fat, according to Harvard Health Publishing .

The remaining 10% is the visceral fat, which accumulates in the spaces surrounding the internal organs such as the liver, the intestines and the stomach. This is often what we call belly fat .

"Visceral fat is more protein called cytokines, which can trigger low -level inflammation, a risk factor for heart disease and other chronic conditions," said Harvard Health. "It also produces a precursor of angiotensin, a protein that means that the blood vessels are tightening and the blood pressure increase."

Moreover, Research shows that our body produces more adipose progenitor cells (APC) as we age. These cells constitute what make up visceral fat.

In relation: Doctors warn that drugs like Ozempic make you "lean fat".

The new research indicates how visceral fat affects your heart.

A new study, published in the European Heart Journal , determined that excessive quantities of visceral fat contribute to faster aging of the heart and blood vessels, which is the largest risk factor for heart disease.

To achieve their results, scientists from the London Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Medical Sciences analyzed health data of 21,241 participants in the Biobank United Kingdom, according to a press release .

Using detailed images of the heart and blood vessels of each participant, as well as images of the whole body of the volume and the distribution of body fats, the team consulted a model of artificial intelligence to determine their "heart age" compared to their real age. Based on the results, scientists have concluded the following:

• Faster heart aging is linked to more visceral fat
• Visceral fat is linked to increased inflammation in the body, which can cause premature aging

This has been particularly worrying since, as Best life recently reported, an unrelated study revealed that in average, American women have a heart age Four years older than their chronological age, while the heart age of men is seven more years old.

In relation: 4 training sessions that target belly fat and torch calories - no cracks required .

But women can be less at risk than men.

The researchers also observed a difference between participants in the male and female study.

"Distribution of male fats", which is that around the belly which produces an "apple" form, "was particularly predictive of early aging in men," said the press release.

Conversely, the "distribution of female type fats", which is that around the hips and thighs which produces a form of "pear", "protective against heart aging in women".

"We have known the distinction of apple and pear in body fat, but it was not clear how This leads to poor health results, ”said the main study author Declan O’Regan , the British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular IA teacher . "Our research shows that the" bad "fat, deeply hidden around the organs, accelerates the aging of the heart. But some types of fat could protect against age, especially fats around hips and thighs in women. »»

"We have also shown that BMI was not a good way to predict the heart age, which emphasizes the importance of knowing where fat is stored in the body and not just total body weight," he added.

Then, O’Regan and his team plan to study how GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Wegovy can play a role not only in weight loss, but on visceral fat loss.