We've previously covered "What Causes Visceral Fat?” and “What Are The Dangers Of Visceral Fat?”
Here's what you need to know about reducing Visceral Adipose Tissue (VAT).
Is there an acceptable amount of Visceral Fat?
Visceral fat isn’t your enemy. It’s crucial to understand that adipose tissue performs an important function in our body. Excessive amount of that tissue is the problem. The acceptable amount of visceral fat is 10% of total body fat. If you know your total body fat and take 10% of it, you’ll get an estimate of visceral fat. Having more than 10% of visceral adipose tissue puts you at a higher risk of various health problems.
However, there is no way of knowing how much visceral fat you actually have unless get scanned. DEXA scan at Fitnescity is a quick, simple, and accurate approach to getting a detailed insight into total body fat, VAT, and more. As mentioned above, you can see how much fat or lean mass you have in specific parts of the body.
The report you receive after the scan delivers visceral adipose tissue information in three categories. These include mass (grams), volume (cm3), and area (cm2). The most important category is area because it is associated with disease risk.
When it comes to the VAT area, values between 10 and 100 are normal, whereas scores that range from 100 to 160 indicate an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. The score that falls between 160 and 300 depicts a high risk of diabetes and heart disease.
How can you measure Visceral Fat?
DEXA stands for dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and it is a type of X-ray that measures bone mineral density. More precisely, the main function of a DEXA scan is to measure the thickness and strength of your bones. Doctors may rely on DEX scans to diagnose or monitor the progression of osteoporosis or bone thinning. However, DEXA scan has other uses and purposes. One of them is body composition analysis and measuring of visceral adipose tissue.
How does it work?
DEXA scan is a machine that consists of a table that a person lies on and an “arm” that branches over it and moves back and forth to scan your body from head to toe. Unlike MRI, which is known for its closed design, DEXA scan has an open design that people find comfortable. For that reason, the DEXA scan is suitable for people who are claustrophobic or simply don’t like tiny, closed spaces. The scan emits photons that attenuate at two different energy levels. That way, the machine can easily distinguish between different types of tissues in your body.
The machine works by sending dual low-power X-ray beams that precisely and accurately differentiate between lean mass, fat mass, and bone mineral. DEXA scan gives you an in-depth analysis of the main components of your body and helps you gain more knowledge or understanding of your body from a different perspective. Without this scan, we can’t know whether our bone mineral density, adipose tissue, or lean muscle mass are at an optimal level or what to do to improve our health, well-being, and physical performance.
Getting a DEXA scan at Fitnescity is incredibly easy and makes a huge difference in a person’s understanding of the importance of making healthy lifestyle adjustments. After the scan, you get a detailed report with percentage images and other data obtained by DEXA.
Is the DEXA scan accurate?
Yes, the DEXA scan is accurate. Various studies explored the accuracy of DEXA in scanning visceral fat specifically. One of those studies, published in the journal Obesity, confirmed that DEXA VAT mass measurements are precise. The presence of precision errors depends on factors such as gender, BMI, and total fat mass. At the same time, a study from the American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology, and Metabolism found that a DEXA scan is an excellent method to measure fat tissue. This particular study showed visceral fat content measured in vivo by DEXA scan has an excellent correlation with VAT content measured in excised fat. Additionally, the localized DEXA scan technique also acts as an efficient tool for testing the effectiveness of treatments on fat distribution.
One paper discussed why DEXA scans are used to measure body composition and provided several arguments that show just how reliable it is. For instance, two X-ray attenuations that pass through your body can be used accurately to calculate the mass of two different materials. Also, the DEXA scan can measure regional body composition by subdividing the body through specific cut lines. Moreover, the DEXA scan has been reliable and accurate for many years.
What to expect during and after DEXA scan?
Before you even come to your appointment, you will receive all the information you need to know about DEXA scan and what to expect. For example, you shouldn’t take calcium supplements 24 hours before the appointment. It’s practical to do a four-hour fast before the scan and stay hydrated. Wear comfortable clothes for your appointment.
It’s important to arrive 15 to 20 minutes before your appointment so you can complete the necessary paperwork. The technician will ask you to remove eyeglasses, jewelry, or any clothing items that may interfere with the imaging, e.g., everything with a zipper.
Once you’re ready, you will be instructed to lie down on the table so the scanning can begin. The entire process takes 10 to 15 minutes, and it’s pain-free. You’ll find it comfortable. Then, you will get a detailed insight into your body composition. The results include the following:
● Total body fat percentage
● Total fat mass
● Fat-free mass
● Total bone mineral density
What makes the DEXA scan incredibly useful is that it provides regional body fat results so you know the exact percentage of adipose tissue in specific areas, such as the abdominal region.
Benefits of DEXA scan at Fitnescity
The main advantage of DEXA scan at Fitnescity is that it helps you achieve your weight- or health-related goals. With detailed reports and precise measurements, you can easily modify your lifestyle to lose weight and keep it off. For example, regional body fat results show the ratio of lean muscle or VAT in specific areas. You can use that information to customize a workout routine that helps increase lean mass and tone your muscles or reduce body fat.
Plus, Fitnescity understands that everyone’s unique and your body composition may differ from someone else’s. You, as a client, get a personal dashboard to track your body fat percentage, especially VAT, and monitor your progress over time. Tracking progress simplifies your strategy to slim down, gain muscle mass, or achieve any other body goal.
Moreover, Fitnescity employs a large-scale database of population scans that allow you to compare your results to those of people who are similar to you. For instance, you’ll see where you stand compared to the national average or among people who are the same gender, race, or age as you are.
The in-depth scan, such as DEXA, and a user-friendly dashboard empower you to take the necessary steps to reduce visceral adipose tissue. With precise measurements and results, you understand the composition of your body and the dangers that excess VAT can bring. This only increases your motivation to turn things around and reduce visceral fat mass. As you track progress, you get more confident in the steps you’re taking to improve your health.
How often to get scanned?
Ideally, you should get your VAT scanned with DEXA every three to six months. This is particularly important if you’re actively working on losing or maintaining weight. The easiest thing you can do is to buy a package offer with scheduled appointments.
Who isn’t eligible for a DEXA scan?
Although DEXA scan is safe and noninvasive, it’s not recommended for pregnant women and everyone under the age of 18 years.
How to reduce Visceral Fat
While the dangers of excess visceral adipose tissue are numerous, it’s possible to reduce body fat and achieve a lower score on your next DEXA scan. Motivation and strong willpower are crucial for reducing visceral fat. Your motivation will both inspire and encourage you to make necessary changes that will improve your quality of life. These changes will lead to a healthier and happier you. Below, you can see the most effective strategies to reduce VAT.
Eat a healthy diet
Unhealthy diet is one of the biggest culprits behind excess body fat and weight gain. Junk food and heavily processed items are high in calories, but low in nutritional value. Consumption of foods rich in trans fats, sugar, sodium, and various additives in combination with a sedentary lifestyle is a major threat to your health and well-being.
You may want to replace unhealthy foods with healthier options. Focus on fruits and vegetables, needs and seeds, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy oils. That way, you’ll supply the body with much-needed nutrients without consuming an abundance of calories. Mediterranean diet is particularly beneficial. Studies show that the Mediterranean diet style promotes VAT regression.
Increase physical activity levels
A sedentary lifestyle, in combination with an unhealthy diet, puts you in a caloric surplus. That means you consume a lot more calories than your body burns through physical activity. As a result, your body fat increases, and you gain weight. Physical activity is crucial for weight management, healthy joints, mental health, and overall health and well-being.
In order to reduce visceral adipose tissue, it’s necessary to increase physical activity and exercise regularly. That means in addition to regular workouts, you should still try to move more and sit less.
Exercise is effective at reducing visceral adipose tissue, even if you don’t follow a hypocaloric diet, according to a systematic review from PLoS One. A review from the International Journal of Obesity also confirmed the effectiveness of exercise on the reduction of VAT. Researchers found the most effective dosage of exercise for VAT reduction was three times a week for 12 to 16 weeks. The most effective duration of session for aerobic training is 30 to 60 minutes. Less than 30 minutes or 30 to 60 minutes of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) was also described as effective in this review.
In addition to aerobic exercises and HIIT, you can also opt for strength training that will help tone your muscles.
Get enough sleep
Poor quality of sleep can increase visceral adipose tissue in your body. For that reason, it’s necessary to improve sleep hygiene and get enough good night’s rest. Since shorter sleep duration can negatively affect VAT, you should strive to get eight hours of sleep.
Sleep hygiene is important for visceral fat reduction and good health. Make sure to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up in the morning at the same time as well. Try not to use electronics in bed. Sleep in a cool and relaxing environment.
Quit smoking
Smoking is an unhealthy habit that causes a wide spectrum of health problems. It’s also among lifestyle factors that contribute to the development of excess VAT. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do to reduce VAT and improve your health.
Some smokers are reluctant to quit because they don’t want to gain even more weight. However, one study found that even if smokers increased weight after quitting, their visceral adipose tissue decreased significantly. Successful smoking cessation without gaining weight is entirely possible. The key is not to use food as an alternative to cigarettes. Avoid snacking frequently and stick to a well-balanced, healthy diet.
Limit alcohol intake
Since alcohol consumption increases visceral adipose tissue, it’s necessary to limit how much you drink or avoid it entirely. Doing so is particularly important for impulsive people. Researchers explain that alcohol intake could lead to overeating, especially among impulsive people, which is why limiting its intake could help with weight loss.
When you drink too much, you keep consuming increasing amounts of calories. This can increase body fat. For that reason, if you can’t limit your alcohol intake, the best thing to do is to avoid it. That way, you’ll prevent overeating that would jeopardize your efforts to reduce VAT.
Manage stress
Modern lifestyle is hectic, and while we can’t avoid stress completely, there’s a lot we can do to manage it. Stress management plays an important role in the reduction of VAT primarily because chronic stress is strongly associated with abdominal adiposity. Some people react to stress by eating more, which can lead to weight gain and excess VAT. Plus, stress is associated with higher levels of cortisol, which activates your body’s fight-or-flight mechanism that triggers the storage of more visceral fat.
Stress management options are endless. There are no rules; choose the technique that works best for you. Some examples include exercise, meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, taking up a hobby, socializing, taking a walk, reading or writing, painting, deep breathing, and counting to 10.
Conclusion
Excessive amount of visceral adipose tissue predisposes you to a wide range of health problems. It hinders athletic performance in active men and women too. The only way to know whether you have excessive VAT is through a DEXA scan. Through access to your Fitnescity personal dashboard, you can track progress and modify your lifestyle to reach your goal and reduce VAT successfully.