Study: Exercise is required to permanently banish deep belly fat

  Deep belly fat increases the risk of diabetes and heart attacks

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Losing weight is not enough to reduce deep belly fat, a dangerous type of fat that wraps itself around the body's internal organs and is linked to heart disease and diabetes. According to researchers, exercise is required to permanently reduce deep belly fat, also called visceral fat.

A study conducted at the University of Alabama showed that people who lost weight and exercised aerobically lost deep belly fat and kept it off, while people who lost weight without exercising regained both weight and belly fat.

Fiber is another powerful weapon in the battle against deep belly fat. A study conducted at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles showed that Latino teenagers who increased their consumption of fiber by as little as five percent reduced their levels of belly fat significantly. Five grams of fiber is an amount that can be found in one cup of whole-wheat spaghetti, or a half cup of beans.

Bottom line: Exercise is a must, fiber a plus, for combating the health risks associated with deep belly fat.

For more info: Visceral fat study by Gary Hunter, Obesity journal.