Why is having muscle mass more concerning than having belly fat?

Fat can accumulate in and around muscles, is difficult to detect, and poses more health risks compared to other forms of fat accumulation.

A new study published in the European Heart Journal found that increased fat between muscles raises the risk of serious heart disease, as it affects the small blood vessels in the heart, according to the Telegraph .

Professor Viviany Taqueti, a cardiologist at Harvard Medical School and a participant in the study, shared that their data shows for the first time that fat tissue in muscles poses a much higher risk than other types of fat such as subcutaneous fat, pericardial fat around the heart, or liver fat.

Some people have a condition called TOFI (Too Fat on the Outside, Fat on the Inside), meaning they are not overweight but still accumulate fat in their muscles.

To maintain a healthy body, you should avoid allowing fat to accumulate in and around your muscles.

Illustration: AI

Dr. Bret Goodpaster, chief scientific officer at Advent Health (USA), suggests that as you age, you accumulate more fat. Therefore, older adults with the same BMI as younger people are still likely to have more body fat.

In other words, even if you are at a healthy weight, don't smoke, and eat healthily, having fat tissue surrounding your muscles doesn't necessarily mean you're free from heart disease.

"If you have a lot of fat in your body, you'll be more insulin resistant and have a higher risk of developing diabetes," added Dr. Bret Goodpaster.

Researchers also believe that fat in and around our muscles can accumulate due to excess calories and a sedentary lifestyle.

Your muscles are less likely to accumulate fat if you keep them in good condition with regular exercise. Conversely, if they are unhealthy, you are more prone to muscle-fat accumulation, which can lead to coronary microvascular disease (CMD). This results in chest pain and, in some cases, heart failure.

According to studies, every 1% increase in body fat increases a person's risk of developing CMD by 2% and their risk of major cardiovascular events by 7%.

Through her research, Professor Taqueti hopes that assessing body fat will make a significant contribution to the diagnosis of obesity, because, according to her, using "raw data such as body mass index (BMI) is not enough."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vi-sao-beo-co-so-hon-beo-bung-185250305200835932.htm