Originally published October 13 2005
Duke researchers study ways to reduce abdominal fat
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Dr. Cris Slentz, an exercise physiologist at Duke University Medical Center, led a study that demonstrated the impact of moderate exercise upon visceral fat.
Couch potatoes may quickly accumulate a type of deep abdominal fat that contributes to diabetes and other metabolic problems -- but regular exercise can prevent or even reverse the process, according to researchers.
Their study of overweight, sedentary adults found that those who started working out on treadmills and stationary bikes tended to lose, or at least not add to, their stores of visceral fat -- fat that accumulates around the abdominal organs.
In contrast, their peers who remained sedentary showed a substantial gain in visceral fat over just 6 months, according to findings published in the October issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology.
While this deep abdominal fat may not make itself apparent in the form of a spare tire, it is linked to a number of ill health effects, including a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease.
The new findings show that even moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, may put the brakes on visceral fat accumulation, according to Dr. Cris Slentz, an exercise physiologist at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, and the lead author of the study.
What's more, study participants who got the most exercise -- the equivalent of jogging 20 miles per week -- shed both visceral fat and the superficial layers of abdominal fat that make for love handles.
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