Physical Activity of More than 10 Exercise Per Week Prevents Visceral Fat Obesity

Abstract

Objective: To examine an association between regular exercise habit in terms of numbers of exercise units, and visceral fat, and determine the appropriateness of the guideline in Exercise Guide 2006 (MOHLW) stating that “At least 10 exercise (hereafter 10ex) per week is necessary to reduce visceral fat”
Methods: The subjects were 1,173 company personnel who underwent Ningen Dock at our center. After explaining the use of the exercise unit (ex) to measure their regular exercise habit, we had subjects enter exercise amounts in a questionnaire sheet and then classified them according to weekly exercise amounts into a less than 4ex group, a 4 to less than 10ex group and a 10 or more ex group. Visceral fat areas were calculated from cross-sectional abdominal CT scans at the level of the umbilicus. In addition to comparing the average visceral fat areas among the 3 regular exercise amount groups, after adjusting for confounding factors such as age, profession, smoking habit, drinking habit, dietary habits and subcutaneous fat area, we compared the odds ratios for a visceral fat area of 75 cm² or over among the groups.
Results: Compared to the less than 4ex group, the 10ex or more group exhibited significantly lower values for both average visceral fat area and odds ratio for visceral fat area of 75 cm² or over and though these values tended to be lower in the 4 to less than 10ex group, differences were not significant.
Conclusion: The government guideline of at least 10ex being necessary to reduce visceral fat is considered to be appropriate.