Basically, belly fat is divided into two, namely visceral fat and subcutaneous fat. Visceral fat is fat that is not visible because it is not under the skin, but around the internal organs of the body. While subcutaneous fat is fat that is under the skin and can be seen, and can be pinched.
Often people do not realize that visceral fat can increase the risk of various diseases. Excess visceral fat can cause the body to become insensitive to insulin and increase blood pressure. Various diseases that are closely related to visceral fat include diabetes, stroke, heart attack, breast cancer, colorectal cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Similar to visceral fat, subcutaneous fat can also increase the risk of certain diseases if too much is stored in the body.
Causes of Belly Fat
The following are some of the factors that cause increased belly fat, including:
- Excessive calories
One of the things that is believed to be the cause of the accumulation of belly fat is the lack of balance between the calories consumed and those used. To overcome this, make sure the calories you consume are proportional to the calories you burn each day.
- Unhealthy food menuNot eating healthy foods is one of the triggers for accumulating belly fat. So that belly fat does not accumulate further, reduce the consumption of foods and drinks that contain sugar and saturated fat. These unhealthy foods contain lots of calories and if consumed in excess will cause fat to accumulate more easily. Start increasing the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains every day.
- Consumption of alcoholic beveragesConsuming too many alcoholic beverages can also cause belly fat to accumulate. Research reveals that consuming large amounts of alcoholic beverages can increase the risk of obesity, including the accumulation of fat in the abdomen.
- StressWhen you are stressed, your body releases the hormone cortisol in excess to help deal with stress. Excessive production of the hormone cortisol can cause weight gain, especially in the abdominal area.
- Rarely exerciseAn unhealthy lifestyle and infrequent exercise also allow you to accumulate more belly fat. Research has shown that women who watch TV for more than three hours per day are more likely to be obese, compared to women who watch TV for less than one hour per day. This shows that the lack of time spent doing physical activities such as sports causes a person to be more at risk of experiencing abdominal fat accumulation.
- Sleep disturbanceAccording to research, sleep disorders such as lack of sleep and sleep apnea can make you more at risk for belly fat. Obese patients with sleep apnea are said to be more likely to have more belly fat.
- Effect of age (menopause)The age factor also affects fat deposits in the stomach. With age, muscle mass will decrease, this makes the body burn fewer calories. In addition, when you enter menopause, the female hormone estrogen will also decrease. This decrease in hormones makes the distribution of fat in the body more likely to occur in the abdomen.
In addition to the things above, genetic factors also affect your belly fat. Some people have a body shape like an 'apple', where the upper body is larger and wider than the lower body. This condition usually depends on genes that are passed down in families.
Belly fat or anywhere else in the body is certainly not good if it is too much. Fat can damage the appearance and even more dangerous, fat causes various diseases that can be life threatening. Take care of your health by avoiding the various causes of belly fat above, and be diligent in exercising at least 30 minutes per day. You can also perform certain exercise movements to tone your abdominal muscles, for example with sit ups.
If you have done various ways but you still find it difficult to reduce belly fat, you can consult a doctor to get further treatment steps.
