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Cycle off belly fat

Excess weight around the tummy? Your solution could be cycling...

Cycling could be the answer to your spare tyre, according to a recent study.

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Cycling stops a build-up of internal fat, also called visceral or ‘deep belly’ fat.

Whereas subcutaneous fat lies just below the skin and  is noticeable, visceral fat lies under the abdominal muscles and can surround the vital organs.

The more visceral fat you have, the greater the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

A study published in the Journal of Physiology showed that cycling at a moderate to high intensity for at least 20 miles a week led to a 7per cent drop in visceral fat and a 7per cent drop in fat around the waistline after eight months.

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In contrast, visceral fat levels rose by 9per cent in a sedentary group and remained the same in a group that did the equivalent of 12 miles of gentle walking a week.

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