Study Examines Diet and Exercise in Preventing Weight Gain
Importance of Managing Visceral Fat
Recent research underscores the health risks associated with excessive visceral fat, the type of fat that accumulates around the abdominal area and surrounds internal organs. Studies have linked high levels of visceral fat to various serious health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, stroke, sleep apnea, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Public Health Concern
“Abdominal weight gain is a major public health concern,” states Shayan Aryannezhad, MD, MPH, PhD, a doctoral graduate from the MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge and clinical research fellow at the Nuffield Department of Population Health at the University of Oxford. Aryannezhad highlights that nearly 3 billion people globally are affected by overweight or obesity.
Need for Comprehensive Approaches
Weight gain typically occurs gradually over many years, and evidence on the effectiveness of everyday behaviors in preventing fat accumulation in various body areas remains limited. Aryannezhad emphasizes the particular danger posed by visceral fat, which is associated with increased risks of cardiometabolic diseases and premature death. Therefore, identifying effective strategies to mitigate this type of fat gain is crucial.
Findings of the New Study
In a new study published in the journal JAMA Network Open, Aryannezhad and his team discovered that concurrently enhancing both diet and exercise may be more effective in preventing weight gain—especially visceral fat—than concentrating solely on one aspect of a healthy lifestyle. This research provides valuable insights into comprehensive weight management strategies.