Understanding the keys to a healthy metabolism

Abdominal fat is often seen as a simple aesthetic issue. Yet it can be the starting point of many silent metabolic imbalances. Insulin resistance, elevated blood lipids, high blood pressure… these disorders can indeed durably impact health. In this video, Professor Jean-Marie Bard explains how to assess abdominal fat and shares the most effective levers to maintain a healthy metabolism.

Abdominal fat: much more than an aesthetic issue

The fat that surrounds the viscera, called visceral fat, is not a simple energy store. It is the starting point of many metabolic imbalances that can durably alter your health. Among them:

• insulin resistance, which leads to an increase in blood sugar,
• an increase in blood lipids,
• an increase in blood pressure,
• a decrease in blood fluidity. These disorders, when they accumulate, can have significant consequences on your overall cardio-metabolic balance.

How to assess excessive abdominal fat?

An increase in waist circumference associated with insulin resistance induces an anomaly in glycaemic balance. To monitor your metabolic health, it is recommended to ensure that:

How to act on abdominal fat?

Fortunately, there are concrete solutions to act effectively on abdominal fat. Regular physical activity is essential, with at least 150 minutes per week of moderate activity. In parallel, adapting your diet plays a fundamental role. You will favour:

• your waist circumference remains below 80 cm for women and 94 cm for men,
• your blood pressure remains below 130/85,
• your blood sugar remains normal, below 1 gram per litre,
• your triglycerides remain below 1.5 grams per litre,
• your HDL cholesterol remains above 0.50 gram for women and 0.40 gram for men.
• fibre-rich foods, fruit and vegetables,
• beneficial fatty acids, notably omega-3 and omega-9, found in fish, rapeseed oil and olive oil,
• poultry instead of meats and cold cuts,
• reducing salty foods,
• limiting ultra-processed foods, which provide trans fatty acids that are particularly harmful to cardiovascular health.