In my last column I paid some attention to the notion that it's not just our size but also our shape that determines the likely health effects of any excess body baggage we happen to be carrying. Increasing evidence suggests that individuals with an overflow of fat around the midriff (sufferers of so-called abdominal obesity) tend to be at greater risk of heart disease and diabetes, and might do well to pinch a few inches off their waistlines. With the spectre of abdominal obesity looming large, my aim this week is to explore the lifestyle strategies that seem to be most helpful for those of us who find that things have gone belly up.
The best chances of bringing down a burgeoning belly come from addressing its underlying cause. Abdominal obesity is often to be found in conjunction with a range of physiological and biochemical imbalances collectively referred to as metabolic syndrome. One substance that is heavily implicated in its development is the blood-sugar lowering hormone insulin. Even though sufferers of metabolic syndrome generally have raised levels of insulin in their systems, their bodies tend to be numb to its effects. Recognition of the importance of under-functioning insulin in metabolic syndrome is reflected in one of its alternative names: insulin resistance syndrome.
Quelling insulin levels and boosting its effectiveness seem to be key to countering metabolic syndrome. The principal dietary strategy is to avoid foods that stimulate surges of insulin. Sugary fare (ie biscuits, cakes and soft drinks) is renowned for upsetting the body's chemistry, but many starch-based foods can be very disruptive, too. Potatoes, as well as most forms of rice, pasta, bread and breakfast cereals, liberate their sugar quickly into the bloodstream and tend to induce excesses of insulin.
Theoretically, cutting back on sugar and starchy staples should help counter the biochemical basis for metabolic syndrome, and help reduce the middle-weight excess that goes with it. More than one study has found that lower-carb diets improve insulin sensitivity, and to a greater extent than diets low in fat. Also, while studies have not looked at waist size per se, there is evidence that carbohydrate-restricted diets are more effective for weight loss than those that cut back on fat. In general, I advise those seeking to slim down their circumference to base their diets on slow sugar-releasing foods such as meat, fish, eggs, green vegetables, beans, lentils and nuts.
Activity can combat abdominal obesity and the metabolic syndrome. One study in men found that three months of daily exercise (the equivalent of about one hour of jogging or brisk walking) reduced waist size and helped reverse insulin resistance even without dietary changes. Cutting back on sugar and starch and stretching the legs each day seem to be the right moves for those of us looking to bust a gut.
