A recent issue of The Straits Times indicated that the amount of
fat an individual has accummulated around his/her organs like the
Liver and the Heart is a better and more accurate determinant of
the individual's health status.
The article also mentioned the shortcomings of the BMI, saying that
it is no longer a good and accurate indicator of one's risk of
health problems. (Instead, the Waist-Hip Ratio was touted as being
a more accurate indicator of cardiac health.)
Here's an article from the Oct 2006 issue of the Journal of Applied
Physiology :
Dangerous Fat Around Organs
Accumulates In Couch Potatoes
Its official: a new study finds that being a couch potato can help
pack on unwanted fat, specifically the dangerous "visceral" fat
that can build up around internal organs.
Experts warn that visceral fat shows strong links to insulin
resistance, cardiovascular disease and other metabolic
problems.
"We believe that these results shine a clear spotlight on the high
costs Americans are paying for their continued inactivity. I don't
believe that people in general have gotten lazier -- it's more that
they are working too hard or are at their desks working on
computers with fewer opportunities for exercise. The situation is
out of balance," lead researcher Cris Slentz, of Duke University
Medical Center, said in a prepared statement.
The study of 175 sedentary, overweight men and women also found
that a moderate exercise program can help prevent the accumulation
of visceral fat.
"In our study, the control group that did not exercise saw a
sizable and significant 8.6 percent increase in visceral fat in
only six months," Slentz said.
"We also found that a modest exercise program equivalent to a brisk
30-minute walk six times a week can prevent accumulation of
visceral fat, while even more exercise can actually reverse the
amount of visceral fat," Slentz said.
Study participants exercising at the highest level -- the
equivalent of 17 miles of jogging per week -- had a 6.9 decrease in
visceral fat. The actual exercising was done on treadmills,
elliptical trainers or cycle ergometers.
The findings appear in the October issue of the Journal of Applied
Physiology.
OK, let's organise more walks and outings that require a lot of
walking, shall we? 
