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A new study suggests that women who have liposuction to trim their tummies may gain some fat deeper within the abdomen — a type of fat that’s particularly unhealthy.
Brazilian researchers found that within months of abdominal liposuction, there may be an increase in the so-called “visceral” fat that surrounds the abdominal organs.
But the good news, they say, is that regular exercise may prevent that deep fat from forming.
Fat is not “inert tissue,” said study leader Fabiana Benatti, of the University of Sao Paulo.
“Removing it by surgery may have important consequences such as the compensatory growth of visceral fat, which may be deleterious in the long term,” Benatti told Reuters Health in an email.
Visceral fat is particularly undesirable because it’s more closely connected to the risks of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, versus the superficial abdominal fat just under the skin.
The current study, according to Benatti’s team, appears to be the first to give “compelling evidence” that visceral fat builds up after liposuction — at least if you don’t exercise.
EXERCISE DEEP FAT AWAY?
The findings are based on 36 normal-weight women who had liposuction to take away a small amount of superficial tummy fat.
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