We spoke to Dr. Vidya Bhat, Consultant Surgical Gastroenterologist, KMC Hospital, Mangalore, who gave us some advice and suggested how to reduce our belly fat
Belly fat is referred to as excessive fat deposition in the lower abdomen. It’s known as central obesity and is related to metabolic syndrome, which leads to insulin resistance, heart disease, and diabetes.
There are various ways to reduce belly fat. The most important aspect is to have a healthy balanced diet. Dieting plays a major role in maintaining body weight. This doesn’t mean that a person must constantly work on maintaining a certain number of calories but eat healthy food at regular intervals. The second most important thing is to exercise at least 4-5 times a week. Any physical activity that makes an individual feel good is good enough.
Even after following all these steps, if there is an accumulation of localized abdominal fat in the lower abdominal region, then the person should consult a doctor and get liposuction done. Liposuction is a form of fat-removal treatment used in cosmetic surgery. Liposuction outcomes typically last as long as the person keeps the weight stable.
Obesity is a medical condition in which there is an excess accumulation of fat in our bodies. It’s a very common condition that we see around us but to categorically tell whether a person is obese or not we need to calculate something called BMI, which stands for Body mass index. BMI is calculated by weight in kilograms divided by height in meters square. A candidate for bariatric surgery is someone with this value of greater than 40kg/m2 or greater than 35kg/m2 with an obesity-related comorbid condition.
Therefore, if the patient is morbidly obese, the body weight is more than the patient can handle, and the patient has tried all ways to reduce weight and failed, then it’s best to take recourse to bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery changes the gut hormone levels that control appetite and creates a new hormonal weight range for the person for the long term. Avoiding a sedentary lifestyle and sugary beverages, practising a good sleep cycle, and increasing protein consumption can also help reduce belly fat.