Health Risks Associated With Belly Fat

Excess body fat especially around the tummy can seriously harm our health. This also could be the case for normal-weight people who aren’t technically fat but considered obese.

The fat stored in your midsection (your belly), according to experts is more like an extra organ or gland which produces hormones that can affect the well-being of the body.

It’s important to get rid of this belly fat as it is a predictor of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, causes some cancers and high blood pressure.

In women, this visceral fat leads to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) which causes problems with your periods and make it difficult to get pregnant and most times result to infertility.

Here’s what contributes largely to belly fat:

Gluttony

Your weight is largely determined by how you balance the calories you eat with the energy you burn. If you eat too much and exercise too little, you’re likely to pack on excess pounds including belly fat.

Age

Aging does play a role too. As you age, you lose muscle especially if you’re not physically active. Loss of muscle mass decreases the rate at which your body uses calories, which can make it more challenging to maintain a healthy weight.

Alcohol

Drinking excess alcohol can cause you to gain belly fat. It can increase belly fat because alcohol contains calories. Although some research suggests wine might be an exception, if you drink alcohol, do so only in moderation.

Processed Foods

Refined foods like white bread, chips and pastries as well as refined sugars in drinks increase inflammation in our bodies, so eating too many processed foods will hinder your ability to lose belly fat.

Natural foods like fruits, vegetables are full of antioxidants, which have anti-inflammatory properties and may therefore actually prevent belly fat.

Inadequate Sleep

Study have it that people who sleep less than six hours a night are more likely to gain 30 or more pounds than those who slept 7 hours. The National Institutes of Health suggest adults sleep seven to eight hours a night.