Image: Exercise is seen as crucial after the surgery

New research has found that people who undergo liposuction should exercise following the procedure in order to combat a subsequent and "compensatory" increase in visceral fat.

Fabiana Braga Benatti of Brazil's University of Sao Paulo was the lead author on the study, which was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

The study, which examined the effect of liposuction on body fat distribution and the impact that exercise can have, saw 36 healthy women undergo a small-volume liposuction of the abdomen.

Two months after the surgery, the women were randomly allocated into two groups - one of which embarked on a four-month programme of physical activity.

The group of women which did not exercise showed a 10 per cent increase in visceral fat and decreased energy expenditure after six months, when compared with those who did.

Benatti said: "If someone chooses to undergo liposuction, it is very important, if not essential, that this person exercises after the surgery.

"We believe patients should be informed of the possible compensatory visceral fat growth and the potential health risks associated with a liposuction procedure."

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism is a publication of the US-based Endocrine Society.

Details: www.endo-society.org

Image: Dudarev Mikhail/shutterstock.com