It has been long known that abdominal fat is not good and can lead to major health complications. Obesity increases your risk of heart disease, certain cancers, kidney disease, and neurological disorders. Now researchers from Semnan University of Medical Sciences in Iran say that excess fat stored around the abdomen is associated with a higher risk of early death from any cause, regardless of overall body fat. They, however, added that larger hips and thighs are associated with a lower risk. The results, published in the journal The BMJ, suggest that measuring central fatness may be a more reliable indicator of risk of death from excess weight, and could be used alongside body mass index to help determine the risk of premature death.

Evidence also suggests that central fatness might be more strongly associated with risk of death than overall obesity, but previous data are inconclusive. Body mass index (BMI) is a simple measure widely used to assess people’s weight. But its reliability is often criticised, as it does not distinguish fat from muscle and does not tell us where body fat is stored.

CENTRAL FAT INCREASES ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY RISK

Researchers analysed 72 studies involving over 2.5 million participants who were tracked for between three and 24 years. All of the studies reported risk estimates for at least three measures of central fatness. This included waist circumference, hip circumference, thigh circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio, waist-to-thigh ratio, body adiposity index (a measure of total body mass made only of fat tissue), and a body shape index. The researchers found that most measures of abdominal adiposity including waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio, waist-to-thigh ratio, and body shape index were significantly and positively associated with higher all-cause mortality risk. For example, each 10 cm (3.94 inches) increase in waist circumference was associated with an 11 per cent higher risk of all-cause mortality.

EXERCISES TO GET RID OF ABDOMINAL FAT

Here are a few effective exercises that can help you get rid of belly fat fast.

Burpee

This gives a proper workout to every muscle from head to toe. It revs up your metabolism and helps your burn your belly fat faster.

How to do it

First stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and then lower your body until your palms rest on the floor about shoulder-width apart.

Kick your legs backward to get into a push-up position.

Perform a push-up and quickly reverse the movement and jump to stand.

Mountain climber

This is a kind of a mini crunch where you draw one knee to your chest. It gives your core a good workout and helps you lose abdominal fat fast.

How to do it

Get into a push-up position. Be sure to keep your hands below your shoulders and your body in a straight line from your head to heels.

Lift your right foot off the floor and bring your right knee towards your chest.

Tap the floor with your right foot and return to starting position.

Do this with your other leg.

Kettlebell swing

This is the best calorie-burning workout that you can do to burn belly fat. It also targets your glutes, hips, and quads.

How to do it

Stand straight and then bend at your hips holding a kettlebell with both hands at arm’s length between your legs.

Squeeze your glutes, thrust your hips forward forcefully, and swing the kettlebell to shoulder height.

Reverse the move between your legs and repeat.

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