A new study found that women who carry excess abdominal fat have more chances of having lung and bowel cancer, according to the Daily Mail report.
Experts said that excess tummy fat triggers an increase in insulin which is known to disrupt hormone production, and excess body fat increases chronic inflammation. Both are linked to cancer.
“In women, it is known that menopause initiates a shift of body fat toward higher level of abdominal adiposity, which may mediate obesity-related cancer risk,” Line Maersk Staunstrup, study author from Nordic Bioscience and ProScion in Denmark, told the Daily Mail.
In 1999, about 5,855 postmenopausal women with an average age of 71 had their body fat scanned and were classified as having high or low abdominal fat ratios. Over a 12-year period, they had additional scans and their cancer status was determined by assessing their medical records.
The results, presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology, showed that women who carried fat around their abdomens had more than 50 percent chance of developing lung or gastrointestinal cancers, such as those affecting the bowel. However, body mass index and fat percentage were not associated with a heightened tumor risk.
Andrea De Censi, who was not part of the study and a doctor from Galliera Hospital in Italy said that increases in insulin result in fat accumulation which is specifically visceral and abdominal.
She said that in addition to fat loss with diet and exercise, there may be a potential role for a diabetes drug, such as metformin, which lowers insulin effects and contributes to cancer prevention.
She added that elderly women should be especially aware of their lifestyle when they approach the pre-menopause age.
Losing the tummy fat
“Avoiding central obesity may confer the best protection,” Maersk Staunstrup expressed.
Weight-loss experts discussed in a Get the Gloss article 10 reasons why some women struggle losing excess abdominal fat and what to do about it. (Related: Excess belly fat - How it happens and how to get rid of it for good.)
The number one rule to beat abdominal fat is to de-stress. Nutritionist and yoga teacher Libby Limon explained that the stress hormone, cortisol, plays a part in laying down belly fat. She suggested that one can de-stress by doing yoga practice and being mindful to their daily routine.
Sugar is also an enemy. Limon explained that a high sugar diet can cause belly fat to stick fast even if you are restricting calories and trying losing weight.
Fitness specialist and obesity campaigner Lucy Miller advised that food diet should be based around lean meats, vegetables, and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as those found in nuts and avocados.
Sleep deprivation affects cortisol balance negatively, according to Limon. One should get to the root cause of his insomnia and try to get enough sleep.
Another reason why you can't lose belly fat is because you are a new mother. Miller suggested that new mothers should up their activity levels slowly and consult a post-natal fitness specialist.
Overexercising is not a solution. Limon affirmed that physical stresses like overexercising and endurance exercise can upset cortisol balance.
Belly bloating is also a common cause of tummy fat. Miller suggested to avoid eating fruits after a meal as they cause food fermentation in the stomach, which then leads to bloating and lots of gas.
A sit-up alone also won't burn fats on the stomach. One should get a cardio blast and then mix up core-toning exercises.
Although body weight resistance training is good, pumping a little iron pays dividends. You will burn more calories when you have more muscle mass.
Health experts suggested that healthy fats including coconut and avocado oils could help you have a flatter tummy and lower body weight.
Lastly, if weight is not lost despite your healthy diet and fitness regimes, it may be good to seek medical advice already.
Read more stories like this at AntiCancer.news.
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