In one study researchers uncovered a feedback mechanism associated with excess abdominal fat and its relation to disease. Liver fat however, may be at the root of several metabolic disorders such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, an earlier study suggests.
Ab Fat and Disease
Your gut may in fact, be telling you something.
Researchers at the University of Negev and the University of Leipzig (1) found that excess fat tissue around the middle, long linked to an increase in health risks, isn't just a "mindless" depository of excess calories, but a complex signaling system in the body that leads to some diseases.
Optimal metabolism and weight regulation requires a normal communication feedback system in the body's tissues. In the case of intra-abdominal fat excess, the area of ab fat deposit associated with obesity-morbidity, the fat tissue (adipose) becomes dysfunctional and mis-communicates. The communication system triggers the secretion of multiple compounds to tissues such as the liver, muscles, pancreas and brain.
The dysfunctional feedback system caused by excess abdominal fat causes tissue cell over-growth as they store increasing amounts of ab fat. This cell over-growth may cause a decrease in oxygen delivery into the tissue; individual cells die (at least in mouse models), and inflammation in the fat tissue occurs. In addition, excess nutrients (glucose, fatty acids) may cause an increase in metabolic demands which can lead to cellular stress.
Causes of Abdominal Fat
Besides the usual suspects that cause fat to accumulate around the waist, eating too much high saturated/trans fat or sugary foods, and not getting enough exercise, the following can also contribute to belly fat:
- Stress. An excess of the the flight or “stress” hormone cortisol has been linked to excess visceral fat, fat in the abdominal area. Cortisol affects how fat is distributed by causing it to be stored centrally, around the organs.
- Alcohol Use and Smoking. High alcohol and tobacco use is related to excess fat around the middle, possibly due to the liver's inability to effectively burn fat when it's overloaded with toxins.
- Menopause. Post-menopausal women tend to carry more fat around their abdominal area due to changes in hormones. Lower estrogen after menopause may interfere with the action of leptin and gherlin, hormones produced in the fat cells and stomach lining, respectively, and are involved in the body's appetite signaling system.
Fatty Liver Disease: The Real Culprit Behind Heart Disease and Diabetes
While the health risks associated with excess abdominal fat can be substantial, too much stored fat in the liver may be the root cause of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease (2,3). Excess fat stored in the liver is known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Too much liver fat may be the key to insulin resistance, cholesterol abnormalities and other problems associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, explains senior investigator in two related studies, Samuel Klein, M.D., "Abdominal fat is not the best marker for risk," says Klein. "It appears liver fat is the real marker. Abdominal fat probably has been cited in the past because it tends to track so closely with liver fat. But if you look at people where the two don't correspond — with excess fat in the liver but not in the abdomen and vice versa — the only thing that consistently predicts metabolic derangements is fat in the liver."
Research indicates that excess abdominal fat in obese people can lead to a dysfunctional signaling system in abdominal fat tissue which in turn signals the body to release compounds that negatively impact several tissue areas in the body. Yet while fat around the middle has been associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, some studies suggest fatty liver disease is really the primary culprit.
Additional Reading:
Balancing The Brain For Improved Health
Anxiety, Depression, Inflammation and Disease
Footnotes:
- Bluher et al., ”Signaling Pathway in Human Omental Fat Tissue May Link Macrophage Infiltration to Whole-Body Insulin Sensitivity,” Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism,” 2009.
- Fabbrini et al. “Alterations in Fatty Acid Kinetics in Obese Adolescents With Increased Intrahepatic Triglyceride Content,” Obesity, 2008.
- Deivanayagam S, Mohammed BS, Vitola BE, Naguib GH, Keshen TH, Kirk EP, Klein S. “Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with hepatic and skeletal muscle insulin resistance in overweight adolescents,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Aug. 2008
Laura Owens - Laura Owens has a B.S. in Psychology from Rollins College & U of FL. She is a freelance writer with expertise in motivation & wellness.
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