How to Lose Stubborn Belly Fat: Research Proves the Issue Begins and Ends in the Kitchen

Obesity has become the new norm throughout the world. We have lost sight of our health and consequently our toes. Belly circumferences continue to rise paving the way for heart disease to become the leading cause of death worldwide. Understanding the origins of stubborn belly fat is crucial for effectively combating it. In this article, you will learn where belly fat comes from and how to get rid of it for good.

What Is Belly Fat?

Visceral fat, also known as toxic fat, lies below the skin taking up residence within the abdominal cavity. Visceral fat envelopes and invades the internal organs. It lines the outside of the intestines and infiltrates the organs, including the heart, liver, kidneys, and pancreas. As the internal organs become obese with visceral fat they lose their ability to function properly.

Visceral fat cells are biologically active, functioning essentially as an endocrine organ. They secrete hormones and various chemicals associated with chronic diseases. These chemicals include cytokines, which elevate the risk of heart disease and reduce insulin sensitivity, potentially leading to diabetes¹. Additionally, they generate a precursor to angiotensin, a protein responsible for constricting blood vessels and increasing blood pressure leading to hypertension. Addressing visceral fat is crucial for reducing the risk of these, and many other, serious health conditions.

Health Conditions Linked To Visceral Fat

• Obesity and morbid obesity
• Diabetes
• Heart disease including but not limited to hypertension, heart attack, and stroke
• Chronic kidney disease
• Kidney failure
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• Metabolic Syndrome
• Breast cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Colorectal cancer²
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
• Infertility
• Joint and back pain
• Dementia including Alzheimer’s
• Premature death

The Weight Of The Matter

Visceral fat is not something to take lightly. The fact of the matter is, it will kill you. The only question is when and through which chronic condition or disease.

Understandably, weight loss can be a daunting task. It not only takes hard, consistent work over a long period of time, but also requires permanent lifestyle changes. Household spending reports provide clear evidence that people desire to lose weight. In 2023 Americans spent approximately $2.1 billion on over-the-counter weight loss drugs³, over 9 million prescriptions for Ozempic (or similar drugs) were written for weight loss⁴, and an estimated 278,000 bariatric surgeries are performed annually⁵. People want to lose weight, but judging by the rapidly growing obesity epidemic, the pills, injections, and procedures are not working.

You Can’t Outrun A Bad Diet

A study conducted by researchers from the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, published in the journal Frontiers⁶, found that the true value of cardiovascular exercise lies in its ability to curb weight gain and maintain a healthy body composition. Running on average burns approximately 100 calories per mile. On average the body stores approximately 1,700-2,000 calories of glucose – the primary fuel used during exercise. This means that a runner may need to run between 17-20 miles in a single run to begin burning stored fat.

Now, this is not to discourage running. Running is a great tool that effectively slows or stops weight gain and can put you on the path to better health both physically and mentally⁷. It is especially effective when combined with weight training⁸ as this increases muscle mass which increases your metabolic rate. The increase in metabolic rate will aid in weight loss and the increased muscle mass will lend itself to a better body composition.

Facts of the Matter

Over the past 10 years, processed and convenience food sales have skyrocketed. In 2004 Americans spent 187 billion dollars on fast food. 9 years later Americans doled out a whopping 349 billion dollars on fast food⁹. On average, Americans spend an estimated$500-$1000 a month at the grocery store. According to the USDA, the sale of non-alcoholic beverages such as fruit juice and soda rose 12.3% between 2022 and 2023¹⁰. The USDA also reported a 14.2% rise in sales of cereal and bakery items, such as bagels, breads, and cookies.

Grocery store studies have found that approximately 74% of food items, including those labeled as “healthy” contain added sugars or sugar substitutes such as corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup¹¹. In 2004, the American obesity rate was reported at 44.5%. In 2024 the obesity rate reached a new high of 71.6%¹². Well over half of the American population is obese with a majority of the weight gain happening in the torso. A reported 4 million people die every year as a result of obesity.

The Issue Begins and Ends in the Kitchen

Americans have spent billions on diet pills, surgeries, and injections as a means to combat the fat while simultaneously increasing their consumption of fast food and processed food. The result has been a 27.1% increase in obesity since 2004. Statistics clearly show that belly fat cannot be solved permanently through shortcuts such as medications and surgeries. Research has shown that belly fat cannot be outworked at the gym. No amount of muscle gains or miles run can win the battle over a bad diet. At the end of the day, the bad diet always wins.

Food is the key to winning the war against belly fat once and for all. Countless studies have found an undeniable connection between consuming processed foods and gaining visceral fat. Nothing has more power over your body composition than food. The solution to ridding yourself of the belly bulge is to skip the takeout meals and rid your kitchen of processed foods.

When grocery shopping stick to the outer aisles for the majority of your food purchases. Stick to foods that do not require labels – meats, vegetables, and fruit. When you have to venture into the middle aisles, stick to foods with 10 ingredients or less. Avoid foods with ingredients that you cannot pronounce. If the label reads like a science experiment, don’t purchase it. Avoid fast food at all costs, even “healthy” fast food items such as grilled meats and salads are filled with addictive chemicals and mystery ingredients that will go straight to your belly. Simply put, buy minimal ingredient, whole food items that your body recognizes as food, and watch the belly bulge disappear for good.

Supporting Research

1. Shuster A, Patlas M, Pinthus JH, Mourtzakis M. The clinical importance of visceral adiposity: a critical review of methods for visceral adipose tissue analysis. Br J Radiol. 2012 Jan;85(1009):1-10. doi: 10.1259/bjr/38447238. Epub 2011 Sep 21. PMID: 21937614; PMCID: PMC3473928. ↩︎
2. Crudele L, Piccinin E, Moschetta A. Visceral Adiposity and Cancer: Role in Pathogenesis and Prognosis. Nutrients. 2021 Jun 19;13(6):2101. doi: 10.3390/nu13062101. PMID: 34205356; PMCID: PMC8234141. ↩︎
3. Austin SB, Yu K, Liu SH, Dong F, Tefft N. Household expenditures on dietary supplements sold for weight loss, muscle building, and sexual function: Disproportionate burden by gender and income. Prev Med Rep. 2017 Mar 24;6:236-241. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2017.03.016. PMID: 28377850; PMCID: PMC5377432. ↩︎
4. Constantino, A. K. (2023, September 27). Ozempic, Wegovy drug prescriptions hit 9 million, surge 300% in under three years. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/27/ozempic-wegovy-drug-prescriptions-hit-9-million.html#:~:text=George%20Frey%20%7C%20Reuters-,U.S.%20health%20care%20providers%20wrote%20more%20than%20nine%20million%20prescriptions,a%20new%20analysis%20released%20Wednesday. ↩︎
5. Gulinac M, Miteva DG, Peshevska-Sekulovska M, Novakov IP, Antovic S, Peruhova M, Snegarova V, Kabakchieva P, Assyov Y, Vasilev G, Sekulovski M, Lazova S, Tomov L, Velikova T. Long-term effectiveness, outcomes and complications of bariatric surgery. World J Clin Cases. 2023 Jul 6;11(19):4504-4512. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i19.4504. PMID: 37469732; PMCID: PMC10353499. ↩︎
6. Walker, S., von Bonsdorff, M., Cheng, S., Häkkinen, K., Bondarev, D., Heinonen, A., & Korhonen, M. T. (2023, October 16). Body composition in male lifelong trained strength, Sprint and endurance athletes and healthy age-matched controls. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2023.1295906/full ↩︎
7. From Pills To Pavement: Running Vs. Medication For Depression. Human Health Co. (2024b, March 24). https://humanhealthco.com/from-pills-to-pavement-running-vs-medication-for-depression/ ↩︎
8. Human Health Co. (2024, May 12). Running and Weight Loss: What You Need to Know. Humanhealthco.com. https://humanhealthco.com/?p=1665 ↩︎
9. Statista Research Department. (2024, March 22). QSR sector consumer spending US 2023. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/259148/consumer-spending-us-qsr-sector/#:~:text=The%20quick%20service%20restaurant%20sector%20(QSR)%20in%20the%20United%20States,billion%20U.S.%20dollars%20in%202023. ↩︎
10. MEASOM, C. (2023, March 29). Grocery shopping 2023: What products are consumers spending more money on this year?. AOL News. https://www.aol.com/finance/grocery-shopping-2023-products-consumers-150131345.html ↩︎
11. Ng, S.W., Slining, M.M., & Popkin, B.M. (2012). Use of caloric and noncaloric sweeteners in US consumer packaged foods, 2005-2009. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics , 112(11), 1828-1834.e1821-1826. ↩︎
12. Laurence, E. (2024, January 30). Obesity statistics and facts in 2024. Forbes Health. https://www.forbes.com/health/weight-loss/obesity-statistics/ ↩︎