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Is your gut putting your health at risk 1260x542
31 Mar 2010

Is your gut putting your health at risk?

2 mins to read
Could your body fat be making you hungry? Online personal trainer Andrew Cate investigates the new link between male belly fat and hunger, and has some expert tips on how to trim down.
Weight management

For men, it seems that health is affected more by where the weight is carried – not just what you weigh.

Men tend to store fat around their belly, which is associated with a higher risk of illness. This was shown in a 2004 study at Wake Forest University, USA, where intra-abdominal fat, or fat stored in and around the internal organs, was most predictive of heart attack risk.

A new connection between belly fat and hunger

A 2008 Canadian scientific study has suggested that the extra fat you carry around your belly could be making you hungrier, thereby prompting you to eat more and put on more weight.

The study found that a potent hunger hormone, called Neuropeptide Y (NPY), is reproduced by abdominal fatty tissue. Previously, it was thought to be produced by the brain only.

The concern is that a vicious cycle could develop where NPY is produced in the brain, causing you to eat more and gain more fat around your middle. This extra fat goes on to produce more NYP hormone, leading to even more fat storage.

However, Dr Garry Egger of Southern Cross University, and creator of the high-profile GutBusters program, believes more research is needed. "Either way, you still have to make choices as an individual to reduce your total kilojoule volume," Dr Egger said.  

Top 2 tips to trimming your tummy 

Dr Egger believes there is a growing shift in the strategies recommended to help men lose body fat. Here are Garry's top tips to whittle down your waistline.

  1. Reduce kilojoule volume - Cut down on your total kilojoule intake by reducing your portion sizes and eating foods with a lower energy density. These foods - such as fruits and vegetables - are less concentrated with kilojoules, meaning you get a larger portion size for less. Dr Egger also recommends burning off more kilojoules by being active more frequently, for a longer duration and at a higher intensity.
  2. Forget low carb - go low carbon - A low carbon lifestyle goes hand in hand with weight loss. Eat foods that are less processed, and that have been produced as close as possible to where you live, to reduce your kilojoule intake (and your carbon footprint). Use your car less by riding a bike or walking, or a combination of both, to help you lose weight while helping the environment.
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