To Your Health
September, 2024 (Vol. 18, Issue 09) |
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"Healthier" Body Fat?
By Editorial Staff
Think all body fat is created equal? Think again. Some body fat – particularly in terms of where it's stored – is healthier than others, and exercise may be the key to determining which you have. Researchers have found that consistent exercisers are more likely to have "healthier" body fat than nonexercisers. Let's see what recent findings suggest regarding this important relationship.
Researchers compared two groups: adults who exercised at least four times a week for at least two years (average duration: 11 years); and adults who never exercised regularly. People with a long-term history of endurance exercise, even if they were overweight or obese, were more likely to store fat near the skin than overweight / obese people who didn't exercise consistently over time.
In other words, exercisers appear to store fat more effectively, reducing the body's need to store it in more dangerous areas. Findings appear in the research journal Nature Metabolism.
Belly fat can accumulate just below the skin or closer to the internal organs. The former, known as subcutaneous adipose tissue, is healthier than the latter (visceral fat) – the type that accumulates near or even in your vital organs. Visceral fat is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and even certain cancers.
