4 foods that fight the 'middle-age spread'

Abdominal fat is notoriously difficult to get rid of, but here are four foods to include in your healthy diet that will help you to achieve a flatter stomach.

• Foods that are rich in monounsaturated fat, such as olive oil, contain anti-inflammatory phytochemicals that can help to curb the build-up of abdominal fat.
• In a 2004 study, 180 people with metabolic syndrome were divided into two groups: 90 followed a Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts, and 90 followed a relatively high carbohydrate, low-fat diet.
• Two years later, more than half the dieters in the first group no longer had metabolic syndrome — they had lost weight and had healthier cholesterol levels.
• Inflammation in their arteries dropped dramatically, and tests indicated that the lining of their blood vessels was much healthier too.
• They also showed less evidence of insulin resistance, which increases the risk for Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In the control group which didn't follow the diet, 78 of 90 participants still had metabolic syndrome.

• Eating a small handful of nuts every day could help to reverse metabolic syndrome.
• That's the implication of a Spanish study, in which participants who ate a Mediterranean diet — along with extra nuts — for a year reduced their abdominal fat, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
• Nuts contain anti-inflammatory substances such as fibre and antioxidants such as vitamin E.
• A note of caution: Adding nuts, which are high in calories, to a diet already packed with too many calories and junk food could lead to weight gain.

• In one small study, women who drank a soy-based drink daily gained less abdominal weight than those who drank a milkshake.
• The researchers speculate that it is the isoflavones in soy that protect against adding fat in this area.
• Try edamame (fresh green soy beans, available shelled or in the pod), soy nuts, tofu, miso soup and soy milk.

• In one study, volunteers were given a daily drink of green tea, which contains catechins, an antioxidant. (The daily dose was 625 mg; an average cup of green tea has from 150 to 250 mg.)
• After 12 weeks, the group had a significant reduction in abdominal fat and triglycerides. Green tea may also increase the body's sensitivity to insulin, lowering the risk of diabetes.