Obesity Reviews 2006; 7:183
S. J. Kay and M. A. Fiatarone Singh
The fat stored around the waist (apple shaped) is more of a health risk than the fat deposited over the hips and thighs (pear shaped).
The relationship between excess fat around the stomach (known as abdominal fat or abdominal adiposity) and the risk of heart disease and diabetes has led researchers to examine whether physical activity can help in specifically reducing this central obesity.
The increasing sophistication of imaging techniques has enabled more direct measurement of changes in abdominal and visceral fat.
The authors of this article systematically reviewed publications on the relationship between physical activity and abdominal fat over the last two decades. Seven out of 10 studies (including three trials with type 2 diabetics) reported significant reductions compared with controls. Reductions in visceral and total abdominal fat may occur in the absence of changes in body mass and waist circumference.
The authors conclude that the evidence from a number of studies suggests a beneficial influence of physical activity on reduction in abdominal and visceral fat in overweight and obese subjects when imaging techniques are used to measure changes in abdominal adiposity.
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