The belly fat that you should be most concerned about is not the bit hanging over your belt; rather it is the visceral fat that lies deep within your abdomen. This type of belly fat correlates with a greater risk for developing health problems like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, dementia and stroke, according to a February 2003 article in “USA Today.” Once you recognize the reasons why you put on belly fat, you can take steps to reduce it.
Aging
As you get older, the rate at which you burn calories slows down, resulting in an increased amount of fat in your body. Women tend to gain a greater amount of fat than men, according to mayoclinic.com and this fat often shifts to the abdomen. While you cannot prevent aging, you can become more vigilant about eating right and staying physically active.
Trans Fats
Certain types of foods contribute to belly fat. Processed foods, margarine and fast foods containing trans fats may be particularly responsible. In a study in the 2007 issue of the journal “Obesity,” researchers from Wake Forest University found that even when following a low-calorie diet, monkeys fed trans fats tended to gain belly fat compared to monkeys who were not fed trans fats.
Lack of Exercise
When you eat more calories than you burn in a day, you gain weight, often at the abdomen. Moderate exercise of just 30 minutes performed five days per week helps prevent accumulation of belly fat, reports Duke University researchers in a 2005 issue of the "Journal of Applied Physiology." These researchers also found that participants in this study who remained sedentary increased their visceral fat by 8.6 percent in six months.
Alcohol
Too much alchohol can contribute to a fat belly. The beer belly is not a myth, and is actually caused by most types of alcohol, according to mayoclinic.com. Alcohol adds excess calories to your diet, increases the chances that you will indulge in unhealthy foods and changes the way in which you metabolize fat. Drink only in moderation: one drink per day for women and two for men.
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