Are You At Risk?

For the most part, people think of having a flat and toned tummy purely for aesthetic reasons. With bathing suit season in full effect, it’s great to show off all your hard work over the winter months to your friends and family in the form of swimsuits and flattering summer couture however looking past the purely aesthetic value of having a tight midsection there is another reason to take out the measuring tape and find out where you stand.

Did you know that waist to hip ratio (WHR) is one of the most important stats for determining your risk of preventable disease?

Apple-shaped people store body fat around the abdomen and chest, surrounding internal organs, such as the heart.
Pear-shaped people store fat on the hips and thighs, just below the surface of the skin.

Apple shaped people have a higher risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and gall bladder disease than their pear counterparts even though they may have the same height and weight. Belly fat has effect on the body that fat elsewhere doesn’t. The fat that settles around your belly secretes substances known as adipokines, which raise your risk of disease so, the larger your midsection grows, the more dangerous it becomes!

Take a close look at what your belly fat is producing:
• Resistin: a hormone that leads to high blood sugar, an independent risk factor for diabetes and heart disease
• Plasminogen activator inhibitor: a substance that contributes to the formation of blood clots, which can cause heart attacks and strokes
• Interleukin-6: a chemical that causes arterial inflamma tion, which can trigger pieces of plaque to break off arterial walls and block the flow of blood to the heart
• Angiotensin: a compound that raises blood pressure
• Adiponectin: an anti-inflammatory compound that helps counteract the effects of interleukin-6. Unfortunately, as fat cells grow larger, the amount of adiponectin they secrete usually decreases.

To find out your waist to hip ratio measure your circumference around your belly button and divide it by the measurement of the largest part of your hips.
Lower Risk
• WHR less than 0.8 for women
• WHR less than 1.0 for men
Higher Risk
• WHR greater than 0.8 for women
• WHR greater than 1.0 for men

For apple shaped people, especially if you fall in the high risk category, you need to actively seek to reduce the amount of belly fat you carry through clean eating that includes fruit, vegetables lean protein and healthy fats. Stay away from refined carbs and foods high in sugar. These foods cause you to store more belly fat as they send your blood sugar levels on a roller coaster ride that promotes fat storage. Have a consistent exercise routine that combines strength training and cardio to help you fight fat and keep the body’s immune system functioning at peak levels. Keep in mind that pear shaped people can still be at high risk especially if your body fat percentage is higher than normal and you have an above average body mass index (BMI).

Whether you are going for chiselled look or you just want to fit better in your clothes the fact still remains, the smaller the waistline, the more likely you are to live a healthy life so make sure you are keeping score!

Live strong, live healthy,

Derick