Even though 12 million French people do it every day, this habit increases belly fat

We think it makes you lose weight, which is why we’re afraid to stop it. But this habit can actually form grow upEspecially at the level of stomach, show researchers from the University of Copenhagen. They looked at data from two European studies on measures of smoking exposure and body fat distribution (eg, Waist-hip ratio and waist and hip circumference). The smoking study included 1.2 million people who started smoking and more than 450,000 lifetime smokers, and the body fat distribution study included more than 600,000 people. Then, they combined some of the genetic results from these studies to determine whether people with genes linked to smoking have a different distribution of body fat. Other indicators such as alcohol consumption or socioeconomic background were taken into account to ensure that any link between smoking and fat distribution was truly due to smoking and not to other factors.

Body weight is low but…

According to their results, published in the journal “Addiction,” smokers had more abdominal fat than nonsmokers, even though they generally had a lower body weight. Researchers confirm it “Initial and lifelong smoking can increase belly fat.” “We also found that the type of fat that is increasing is more likely to be visceral fat Fat is located under the skin

“, Lead author of the study, Dr. German d. adds Carrasquila.

Dangerous fats for the liver

Visceral fat, present around the abdominal viscera (like the liver for example), is the most dangerous to health and is not necessary. A person may have a flat stomach and a dangerous amount of visceral fat, which increases the risk of serious illness. This increases the risk of obesity Cardiac diseaseNo DiabetesNostroke Dementia and Liver diseases. So the 15 million French people who smoke, 12 million of them every day, should be aware of this additional harmful effect of tobacco on their health. “From a public health perspective, these findings reinforce the importance of large-scale efforts to prevent and reduce smoking in the general population, as this may also help reduce visceral abdominal fat and all the chronic diseases associated with it. Risk in the population is indirectly linked to other major health risks. will reduce”

The authors of the study conclude.