Abdominal obesity! Higher risk of metabolic syndrome

As the weather gets warmer, people on the streets are taking off their winter clothes to show off their figures. However, modern people are under great pressure and have irregular lifestyles and diets. On average, one in five people in Taiwan has a "Central Broadcasting Corporation" abdominal obesity. Nutritionists remind people that people with abdominal obesity are more likely to suffer from "metabolic syndrome" and cardiovascular diseases, and recommend a low-fat, high-fiber diet to prevent obesity.

Nutritionist Zhang Yafang said that the normal waist circumference for girls is 80 cm. For every 1 cm increase, the chance of developing metabolic syndrome increases by 5%.

Zhang Yafang, a nutritionist at Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, said that according to the "metabolic syndrome" testing standards set by the National Health Administration, the first item is "abdominal obesity." On average, the waist circumference of adult men in Taiwan is 90 cm (36 waist) and that of women is 80 cm (30 waist). Anything above that is considered abdominal obesity. Moreover, for every 1 cm increase in waist circumference for men, the risk of developing metabolic syndrome increases by 14%; for every 1 cm increase in waist circumference for women, the risk of developing metabolic syndrome increases by 5%.

Modern people eat more and exercise less, coupled with habits such as drinking and smoking, which leads to excessive calorie intake, abdominal fat accumulation, and increased waist circumference, which in turn creates resistance to the body's insulin, causing symptoms of metabolic syndrome such as high blood sugar, increased blood pressure, and abnormal blood lipids.

In addition to waist size, if the waist-to-hip ratio of boys is greater than 0.9 and that of girls is greater than 0.85, they are considered to have "upper body obesity" and are more likely to develop chronic diseases such as cerebrovascular disease, heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension.

In order to avoid the potential diseases caused by obesity and stay away from the threat of "metabolic syndrome", Zhang Yafang recommends that in addition to not eating snacks while watching TV and exercising more, a healthy diet with low fat and high fiber should be adopted.

• In terms of fats and oils: Replace animal fats and oils with vegetable oils, reduce the intake of pork belly and fatty meat, and consume more fish, beans and nuts to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease or diabetes. It is recommended to consume deep-sea fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, saury, etc., twice a week.

• When choosing sugars: try to choose those that are high in fiber, such as oats, brown rice, and whole wheat, and reduce the intake of refined sugars, such as soda, juice, biscuits, candy, cakes, and sugary drinks.

• Fruits and vegetables: Consuming more than 3 servings of fruits and vegetables daily can reduce the risk of stroke by 27% and reduce the risk of high blood pressure. It is recommended to consume more than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. For those who are obese or have high blood sugar, it is recommended to increase the intake of vegetables and limit the intake of fruits to 2 servings.

• Pay attention to the intake of "hidden salt", such as pickles, fermented bean curd, salted eggs or chili sauce and tomato sauce. When cooking, you can use onions, ginger, garlic and star anise as seasonings to avoid excessive salt intake from processed foods.