Even though people make jokes at belly fat, this is nothing to joke about. There are different health risks associated with belly fat. Let's find out more about it.

Belly fat is a more dangerous fat

Belly fat is not limited to the extra layer on your abdomen located just below the skin or the subcutaneous fat. It also includes visceral fat which is present deep inside your abdomen surrounding your internal organs.

If you have lots of belly fat, it will increase risk of many different health problems including

• cardiovascular disease
• insulin resistance
• type 2 diabetes
• sleep apnoea
• colorectal Cancer
• premature death from any cause
• high blood pressure

Age and genetics

Both age and genetics can contribute to gaining belly fat. Your body weight is mostly determined by three main factors. They are-

• how many calories you consume during the day
• how many calories you burn off
• your age

The most common way of getting more belly fat is to eat more and exercise too little or no exercise at all. All you have to do is simply eat and sit down and you will pack on excess pounds including belly fat.

As you age, it will also play a role in belly fat. When you age, you start losing muscle if you are not physically active. When you lose muscle, your body will not be able to use the calories you are consuming. That can make managing your healthy weight very difficult for you. As you age, for example you will need to consume fewer calories daily when you are in your 50s in comparison to what you consumed during your 30s.

Beer belly

As the name suggests, you get more belly fat by drinking alcohol or specifically beer. But you cannot only blame beer. If your drinking too much alcohol of any kind, it will increase will relish at. Alcohol contains calories and so it means if you're drinking more alcohol, you are adding more and more calories to your body. Those people who drink more unless likely to exercise regularly and in that case you will pack on more belly fat within a short time.

If you cannot eliminate drinking, at least drink in moderation. For men age 65 and younger, moderation may mean up to 2 drinks a day. If you're older than 65, it may mean up to one drink a day.

How do you measure your belly size?

Do you have too much belly fat? Let's find out.

Measure your waist. Stand and place a tape measure around your bare stomach, just above your hip bone. Pull the tape measure until it snugly around you. Do not push the tape into your skin and also ensure that it is level all the way around. Now relax, exhale and measure your waist. Do not suck in your stomach while doing so.

If you're a man, a waist measurement of more than 40 inches or 102 cm indicates an unhealthy concentration of belly fat and a greater risk of health problems. Probably this is the time for you to lose some weight and start exercising to lose belly fat which is so very dangerous for you.

References 1. Fat Burning Fingerprint
2. Abdominal fat and what to do about it
3. Effect of diet with or without exercise on abdominal fat in postmenopausal women