Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

The Real Cause of Belly Fat, How To Fix Your Metabolism & Why Your Liver Is More Important Than You Think with Professor Robert Lustig #432

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Mar 6, 2024

In this engaging discussion, Professor Robert Lustig, a leading authority on the impacts of sugar and processed foods, dives into the complexities of belly fat and metabolic health. He reveals that stress, not just diet, drives dangerous visceral fat accumulation. Lustig explains the critical role of liver health and the need for personalized nutrition. He also challenges common myths about weight loss, advocating for a shift in focus towards metabolic wellness over simple calorie counting. Practical strategies for managing stress and improving overall health are shared.

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INSIGHT

Hidden Fat Matters

It's not the fat you can see that matters, but the fat you can't see (visceral and liver fat).
These different fat depots have different causes, effects, and drainage systems.

INSIGHT

Stress, Not Food, Drives Visceral Fat

Visceral fat accumulation is primarily driven by stress, not by excess food consumption.
Stress hormones like cortisol play a crucial role in this process.

INSIGHT

Chronic Stress: A Multifaceted Threat

Chronic stress negatively impacts not only metabolic health, but also mental, global, and planetary health.
It drives unhealthy behaviors, worsens metabolic health, and underlies broader societal issues.

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Twenty percent of obese people are in metabolically great health. Meanwhile sixty percent of supposedly ‘healthy’ weight people are metabolically unwell and at risk of a host of chronic diseases. With this in mind, do we need to change our thinking about what ‘being fat’ really means?

Today, I’m thrilled to welcome back Dr Robert Lustig, a leading public health authority who for many years has been trying to expose the truth behind the food industry and the many myths within modern medicine. Rob is Professor Emeritus of Paediatrics, Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco He is the author of multiple books including Metabolical: The Truth About Processed Food and How it Poisons People and the Planet.

Robert first came onto my podcast back on episode 251 when we took a deep dive into what happens inside our bodies when we consume excess sugar. In today’s conversation, we do touch again on the impact of sugar on human health but the main focus is on the three different sites in the body where we deposit fat: subcutaneous (which you can see and feel); visceral (stress-related fat around the middle), and liver fat. It’s only the first of these that you’re likely to notice on the scales – but it’s the latter two, says Rob, that really determine your health.

We talk about why it’s stress not food that largely drives dangerous visceral - the fat that surrounds our organs - and Rob’s view that chronic stress underpins metabolic, mental, global and planetary health.

We also discuss

how a minimally processed, wholefood diet can mitigate stress and weight gain
why he’s not a fan of fructose, nor the glycaemic index
why he thinks that continuous glucose monitors (CGM) can help the general population, not just those with diabetes
why the liver may well be the body’s most important organ when it comes to metabolic health, and some of the key tests we can do to assess our own liver health
And we also talk about alcohol, fruit, honey and many more topics that will help you make empowered decisions for you and your family’s health.

Rob’s work has changed many people’s lives around the world and his message deserves to be heard loud and clear. He is knowledgeable, passionate and someone who is not afraid to say what he thinks. I always enjoy talking to him, I hope you enjoy listening.

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Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/432

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.