The Importance of Health Education Targeting Visceral Fat

Abstract

A decrease in visceral fat is essential for preventing cardiovascular disease caused by metabolic syndrome. Health education is important in improving the lifestyle of persons with high levels of accumulated visceral fat. We developed a health education program for such individuals, in which we not only teach a weight loss method but also shed light on their risk of vascular disorders and the relationship between visceral fat and such disorders. We used a medical examination result chart (called the “Where am I?” chart) to enhance the ef fects of the health education provided in Amagasaki city. After providing health education for 3,174 city staff, the proportion of men with metabolic syndrome decreased from 20.8% in 2003 to 17.2% in 2004 and 14.14% in 2005 (p < 0.001). The proportion of women decreased from 3.0% in 2003 to 2.2% in 2004 and 1.9% in 2005 (p = 0.359). Be fore health education was provided, 1–3 workers died every year of coronary heart disease. However, there were no such deaths after health education was implemented. Thus, the health education program was considered to be effective in improving metabolic syndrome. Visceral fat area was measured using the body imped ance method in people with a body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9 in the medical examination. Results showed that 53.7% of the men and 23.1% of the women had a visceral fat area over 100 cm² . Therefore, health education should be tailored to medical examination results, in order to effectively prevent cardiovascular disease.