You can’t lose your stomach despite your dietary and sporting efforts?
First thing to know, there are two types of abdominal fat. Subcutaneous fat, which sits under the skin and is harmless, and visceral fat, which surrounds the organs of the abdomen and is associated with risk of cardiovascular, metabolic diseases and cancers. How can we explain that some people store more at this level? “Physiologically, the woman will rather store fat deposits in a gynoid way, that is to say at the level of the hips, thighs and buttocks due to the structure of the connective tissue (structure of the skin), of the fat receptors which are located in this part of the body, and female hormones which have receptors at the gynoid level. answers Dr Alexandra Dalu, anti-aging doctor, mesotherapist and nutritionist.
For his part, humans have a natural tendency to store fat mass at the android level. If it stores at the gynoid level (appearance of breasts – gynecomastia – at the level of the buttocks or thighs), it is pathological. However, there are obviously inherent subtleties. Some men have slightly lower testosterone levels, which can promote gynoid storage. “In the same way, a woman can have a little more testosterone and store it preferentially at the android level. This is the reason why gynecologists always alert their patients about a future pregnancy since abdominal fat does not favor not procreation” informs the nutritionist.
“No matter how much they exercise and eat a balanced diet, this little belly will only be difficult to disappear”
Some women have a small fatty deposit in the stomach area which is simply morphological. They may play sports and eat a balanced diet, but this little belly will only disappear with difficulty, just like saddlebags. “Plastic surgery can be a solution in these cases”underlines Dr Alexandra Dalu. “In my opinion, body positivity means living well in your genetic body. It is essential to clearly differentiate between the pathological and the morphological. Body positivity should only concern morphology” argues Dr Dalu.
On the other hand, storing fat in the abdominal area (android) excessively is pathological. This can indicate overweight or obesity. “To find out, there are two main tools: the BMI (body mass index) but it is not always viable because if the subject is 2 meters tall and has 150 kg of muscle, his BMI explodes even though he is not ‘is not overweight. And measuring the abdominal circumference using a sewing meter. indicates the specialist.
Overweight is defined as a waist circumference of more than 84cm for women and more than 102cm for men. Beyond that, the WHO indicates that there are risks of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart attack, stroke and cancer. In women, abdominal fat can be a reflection of hormonal imbalance such as PCOS, prediabetes, diabetes. Furthermore, at menopause, it happens that the distribution of fat deposits in certain women occurs at the android level. This phenomenon is due to the fact that the hormones estrogen and progesterone decrease “hence the importance of consulting your gynecologist to be prescribed hormonal treatment for menopause in order to rebalance hormonal levels and to compensate for other inconveniences that may occur such as sleep disorders or memory loss” finally advises the specialist.
Thanks to Dr Alexandra Dalu, anti-aging doctor, mesotherapist, nutritionist and author of “The 100 ideas that prevent you from feeling well” published by Leducs.