Belly Fat Promotes Further Weight Gain: Study

A new study, conducted by Canadian scientists of the Lawson Health Research Institute (Ontario) and published at The FASEB Journal, has revealed that fatty deposits in the abdominal area can make people hungrier and facilitate further weight gain. In addition to putting us at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, and a number of other serious health conditions, the existence of a “spare tire” around the waist also predisposes us to being even more obese.

Abdominal adipose (fat) cells have been found to secrete massive amounts of the hormone NPY (Neuropeptide Y) – a substance that promotes an increased appetite and rapid conversion of dietary carbohydrates into additional body fat. According to study researcher Dr. Kaiping Yang, obese rats tend to eat more and can gain more weight than skinny rats due to an elevated production of this appetite-promoting hormone.

Previous research found that NPY is produced by the brain’s neural tissue and that obese individuals are prone to eating excessive amounts of food due to an increased secretion of the hormone by the peripheral and central nervous system. The new finding shows that NPY can also be made by existing adipose tissues, especially those in the belly area. In addition to powerfully stimulating appetite, the responsible hormone is involved into manufacturing of new fat cells.

Dr. Yang has pointed out that overweight rats (and people) experience an increased hunger in response to the high level of NPY manufactured by the brain, which makes them accumulate excessive fat deposits in the abdominal area. In their own turn, adipose cells around the body mid-section secrete even more NPY, which makes the sufferers gain even more weight.

This new study also looked at the detrimental health consequences of carrying the “spare tire” around the belly.

The researchers plan to conduct further trials in order to determine whether NPY manufactured by mid-section fat cells enters the blood and travels to the brain, where it can possibly facilitate an additional production of hunger-inducing substances. If the scientists succeed in disclosing the possible passways of abdominal NPY, it can lead to the development of a blood test to measure the levels of NPY in the bloodstream of people predisposed to obesity.

An early NPY identification in the blood can detect those who are likely to develop overweight and obesity further in life, and therefore help them to take preventive steps through a dietary and therapeutic intervention.

Kim Suffolk