The fat accumulated around your abdominal organs is called visceral fat. Excess visceral fat is linked with many chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, heart diseases, etc.
The fat accumulated around your abdominal organs is called visceral fat. Excess of visceral fat has many detrimental effects on the overall health. Central obesity is often measured by waist circumference- More than 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women.
Common risks involved with central obesity-
- Cardiovascular diseases- Heart diseases and stroke. High blood pressure, bad cholesterol and triglycerides leading to atherosclerosis.
- Type 2 diabetes- Central obesity is strongly linked to insulin resistance leading to diabetes is obese individuals.
- Liver disease- Central obesity causes Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), leading to liver cirrhosis in in severe cases.
- Certain cancers- Central/ Abdominal obesity increases risk of certain cancers like colorectal, breast, and pancreatic cancer.
- Sleep apnea- Excess fat in abdomen cause difficulty in breathing increasing the risk obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
- Joint issues due to excess strain on joints due to excessive weight.
- PCOS/ PCOD in women and reduced reduced testosterone in men.
- Early mortality- Obese patients are often at risk of early onset of diseases and mortality.