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Can Exercise or Diet Prevent Abdominal Visceral Fat Gain?

December 13 2009

Abdominal visceral fa (as showin the picture) is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes than fat deposits in other areas.

Both exercise and diet can prevent weight gain. But can both exercise and diet prevent the dangerous abdominal visceral fat gain?

abdominal visceral fat

What was the purpose of the abdominal visceral fat study?

The study was done to find if exercise or diet is better in preventing abdominal visceral fat following weight loss

What was the design of the visceral fat study?

  • Subjects lost around 25 lbs before the study
  • Then they were divided into 5 groups: Resistance training, Aerobic exercise, Diet only, Non-Aerobic Adheres, Non- Resistance adheres.
  • After 1 year of follow up, the visceral fat and other variables were measured.

What was the exercise protocol?

The exercise was very moderate. They exercised 2 days/week

Cardio: 40 min at 80% of HR max
Resistance: 1o exercises – 2 sets of 10 reps

What was the result of the visceral fat study?

weight gain

abdominal visceral fat gain

Though the weight loss was similar in both groups, exercise group gained no visceral fat compared to the diet only group

Practical Applications

  • Though weight loss is all about calories in vs out, we can see how exercise is superior to diet in preventing the harmful abdominal visceral fat gain.
  • Following weight loss, even moderate volumes (1-2 days of exercise) are beneficial to prevent large weight gains and direct fat deposit away from abdominal area.

Reference 1

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Mumford | Mon December 14, 2009  

Hey anoop
great study. you give great research reviews.

is it logical to draw the conclusion that although exercise can keep off weight and keep it from going back into fat cells, it exhibits the same partitioning effect when dieting? (actively losing weight)

further, in the context of dieting, while resistance training seems to have an effect on partitioning by sparing muscle while dieting, are there any physiological advantages of aerobics + caloric deficit vs just caloric deficit alone? (besides possible psychological advantages.. you get to eat more.. etc)

Thanks,
Mumford

Anoop | Mon December 14, 2009  

Hi Mumford,

Thanks! The whole purpose of this site is to bring evidence-based info to the public.

If I understand your question right, there is of course greater partitioning effect of exercise compared to just diet (increased insulin sensitivity). That’s why it is easy to maintain weight when you exercise. Part of the calories is going to the muscle to keep it running.

There is not much difference I feel. There are a lot of diets which get you losing weight with just diet and a little bit of cardio. The cardio is just so that you can still get some food and major nutrients in. There is some benefit of increasing fat utilization with cardio but I don’t think it has been shown or it’s that pronounced of an effect.

And of course as the above study shows exercise does a better job in preventing the accumulation of abdominal visceral fat than diet.

Jim@TBF | Sun December 20, 2009  

That study was very enlightening for me actually, as you are always preached, “abs are made at the dinner table.”

Thanks Anoop!

Anoop | Mon December 21, 2009  

Thanks, Jim.

There are a few studies which has shown a decrease in abdominal visceral fat with exercise, but not one which looked at it after after weight loss.

The interesting part is how they prevented any abdominal visceral fat with so little exercising. The adherence cut off was (60%); that is 1.2 days. So people who were in the exercise group did exercise for just one day mostly though the design called for 2 days/week.

The take home point is that even exercise as little as one day per week is good for you.That is better than an apple a day!

Anoop | Sat December 26, 2009  

As a side note, this is one good reason to do some cardio, especially when bulking up. Might spread the fat a bit and help that gut stick out less.

Exercise and Diet | Mon December 05, 2011  

Indeed, it is quit interesting that such little exercise is needed to show the effect. I’ve been out of the gym for some time now and having a sedentary job is catching up with me (along with age). It’s great to know that the little time that I have to exercise for now will actually make a bit of difference. Great blog by the way.

Lucy Kelly | Wed April 11, 2012  

Nice entry! I just impressed to read about it. Really i was looking forward to read about it. Thanks for this allocation.

Gilbert Ryan | Thu July 05, 2012  

Ha, very good question indeed! 😊 I actually appreciate with you bcoz why I have done a little exercise and try short term diet prevent abdominal visceral for fat gain. I could get excellent effect. Thanks! 😊

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