Losing Belly Fat Improves Blood Vessels

Overweight people who lose weight, especially belly fat, can improve blood vessel function no matter what diet they choose, U.S. researchers say. They studied 60 men and women who weighed an average of 215 pounds at the start of the program. Half went on a low-carb diet while the others followed a low-fat diet. All took part in moderate exercise and their diets provided a similar amount of calories each day. In the six-month weight-loss study, the researchers found the more belly fat the participants lost, the better their arteries were able to expand when needed, allowing more blood to flow more freely. The researchers found participants in the study who were on a low-carb diet lost about 10 pounds more, on average, than those on a low-fat diet. Presented at AHA scientific meeting, San Diego