There are many different reasons why people gain belly fat. Some causes include stress, lack of exercise, and poor nutrition. Many lifestyle changes can help you get rid of unwanted fat, such as reducing stress, increasing activity, and improving nutrition. The fat around the abdomen is known as abdominal obesity.
There are two types of belly fat:
- Subcutaneous: This type of fat is located under the skin.
- Visceral: This type of fat surrounds the victim’s organs.
Many studies are showing that complications from visceral fat are more dangerous than from subcutaneous fat. If you have belly fat, you need to make a lot of lifestyle and diet changes to get rid of it. You need to strive for slow and stable weight loss, so that in this way you get rid of excess fat and prevent its return.
Reasons why Belly Fat is Dangerous
One of the main causes of serious diseases is overweight. If you have excess abdominal fat, it can increase the risk of diseases such as:
- Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia;
- Colon cancer;
- Breast cancer;
- Asthma;
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus;
- Stroke;
- High blood pressure;
- Heart attacks;
- Heart disease;
- Premature death for any reason;
- Sleep apnea;
- Insulin resistance;
- Abnormal cholesterol;
- Respiratory problems.
Causes of belly fat
The most common causes of belly fat:
- Smoking: Many doctors may not consider smoking a direct cause of the appearance of belly fat, but they believe that it may be a risk factor. In a 2012 study, it was shown that although obesity was the same in smokers and non-smokers, smokers had more abdominal and visceral fat than non-smokers.
- Poor sleep: One study showed that weight gain is associated with short sleep duration, which can lead to excess belly fat. Both short sleep duration and poor sleep quality can play a role in the formation of abdominal fat. If you don’t get enough sleep, it can lead to unhealthy eating behaviors, such as emotional overeating.
- Genetics: Some studies say that a person’s gene may play a role in whether they will be obese or not. Doctors believe that genes can influence the risk of obesity-related diseases, metabolism, and behavior.
- Stress: Cortisol is a steroid hormone that helps the body control stress and copes with stress. When a person is in a dangerous situation, his body releases cortisol, and this can affect his metabolism. Often people eat to comfort themselves when they feel stressed, and cortisol causes excess calories to accumulate around the abdomen and in other parts of the body for later use.
- Lack of exercise: If you consume more calories than you burn, you increase your weight. A sedentary lifestyle makes it difficult to get rid of excess fat, especially in the abdominal area.
- Too much alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol can cause several health problems, including inflammation and liver disease. A study conducted in 2015 showed that alcohol consumption, especially excessive alcohol consumption, can lead to weight gain in men in the abdominal area, while studies of women are contradictory.
- Poor nutrition: Sugary drinks such as carbonated drinks and fruit juices, and sugary foods such as cakes and sweets can cause weight gain. In addition, they can slow down the metabolism and reduce the ability to burn fat. In addition, weight can be affected by a diet high in carbohydrates and low in protein. Protein helps you feel full longer. People who don’t get lean protein in their diet can eat more food. In addition, trans fats can cause inflammation and lead to obesity.
Trans fats can be found in many foods, such as fast food and pastries, such as crackers or cupcakes. It is recommended to replace trans fats with healthy whole foods, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Before buying products, you should read their labels, as this will help you determine which products contain trans fats.