Health & Wellbeing advice from Medigold Health Know your numbers: Belly Fat
Stomach bulge, beer belly, muffin top, spare tyre… Whatever you call it, pesky belly fat is not only annoying from a vanity perspective, too much of it can lead to a whole host of health risks including Type 2 Diabetes and high blood pressure. What is belly fat? Put simply, belly fat is the collection of fatty tissues in the midsection of the body around the abdominal organs. Now for the science bit… belly fat comes in two different forms subcutaneous and visceral. Although both are located around the abdomen, they behave very differently: Subcutaneous Fat (the annoying, stubborn one) • Located just under the skin • Similar to fat found anywhere else
in the body • No major threat although you are better off without too much of it Visceral Fat (the dangerous one) • Located inside abdomen • Covers internal organs • Linked to body’s stress response functions which can raise blood pressure and blood sugar levels What exactly are the dangers? The sneaky thing about belly fat is that the dangerous part is tucked away meaning individuals are often unaware that they may be in danger. A large amount of belly fat increases your risk of: • • • • •
Type 2 Diabetes Cardiovascular disease High blood pressure Certain cancers Sleep apnoea
Edition: July – Sept 2021
Dates for your diary 06/09/2021-12/09/2021 Know Your Numbers Week Know Your Numbers Week is an annual campaign run by Blood Pressure UK to raise awareness of the risks associated with high blood pressure and encourage people to get their BP checked. 10/09/2021 World Suicide Prevention Day Celebrated annually since 2003, World Suicide Prevention Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of suicide, still a major cause of premature death globally, and how it can be prevented.