You may be feeling happy and satisfied about your health because your body weight is normal. But, according to a Mayo Clinic study, some people may look normal, but may actually be fat inside. This is called normal weight obesity. If you have this condition, you may face the same problems faced by overweight and obese people.
Internal Fat
About 30 million people in the United States suffer from normal weight obesity, which means they have an undesirable body fat percentage. Women with normal height and weight should not have body fat greater than 30 percent. For men, it is 20 to 25 percent.
Thin-looking people may carry internal fat, which is also called visceral fat. This fat surrounds vital organs and is found underneath the muscles. The liver metabolizes this fat and converts it to blood cholesterol, which increases the risk of stroke and heart disease.
The Mayo Clinic Study
The Mayo Clinic research studied more than 6,000 Americans over nine years. It found 20-30 percent of the respondents to be normal weight obese. The sufferers are at risk of contracting the same diseases that impact obese and overweight persons. These diseases include diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, heart disease and high cholesterol. The American Heart Association points out that heart disease is the primary killer in the U.S.
To know the percentage of your body fat, you have two options. One is to get your body fat level tested. The other option is more simple. Check if you have love handles around your waist. If you do, your body fat percentage must be higher than normal.
Exercising Will Help
If you are a normal weight obese person, do not lose heart. Start adopting healthy food habits from today. Exercise can also reduce internal fat. Moderate aerobic exercise done daily can prevent the accumulation of visceral fat. Vigorous exercise can reduce the existing amount of internal fat. Also recommended are resistance exercises that can build lean muscles. To maintain metabolic rate and burn calories, strong and lean muscles are essential. Therefore, start adopting healthy habits to lose internal fat and become thin inside as well.
