The midsection is one of the most common areas for people to gain weight. Being overweight in general has many health risks, but particularly so when that weight is mainly carried in the abdominal region. Carrying too much weight in the midsection may mean you have an increased chance of heart disease, breast cancer, diabetes, gallbladder problems, metabolic syndrome and high blood pressure, according to MayoClinic.com. Knowing how people gain weight in the midsection is an important first step in decreasing that risk.
Genetics
If your siblings, your parents and grandparents tend to be thick waisted or have a protruding stomach, chances are you are genetically predisposed to storing fat in your midsection. For example, Dr. Scott Lear, assistant professor in the School of Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University and an investigator at Canadian Obesity Network, lead a study that found that people from China and South Asian tended to have more abdominal fat than those from Europe.
Stress
If you have a stressful job or family situation, your body may react in several ways, including releasing cortisol, a steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal gland. Cortisol regulates how your body uses protein, carbohydrates and fats in stressful situations and signals when to move these nutrients to and from your fat stores, especially in the abdomen. If too much cortisol is in your system, your body may store too much fat there, according to Christine A. Maglione-Garves, Len Kravitz, Ph.D., and Suzanne Schneider, Ph.D, at the University of New Mexico.
Sleep
If you get more or less than the recommended six to seven hours of sleep each night, you may have a greater risk of gaining weight in your abdomen. According to a study funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and published in the scientific journal "Sleep," young adult participants--that is, those under the age of 40, especially those of either African-American and Hispanic descent--gained more belly fat in the study's five years if they slept more or less than the recommended six to seven hours each night than those who did sleep six to seven hours. The study did note the effect only seemed to affect those under age 40.
Exercise
Although many people believe that doing abdominal exercises, such as crunches and sit-ups, will make their midsection more toned and thus slimmer and flatter, doing them without changing your diet can actually make your belly budge more pronounced, according to Flat-Stomach-Exercises.com. That's because doing so builds the abdominal muscles but doesn't burn off the abdominal fat.
To combat the problem, combine cardiovascular exercise, such as walking, running or swimming, along with the abdominal exercise to burn the fat while toning the abdominal muscles.
Diet
According to MayoClinic.com, diet plays a big role in midsection weight gain. Simple carbohydrates, such a pasta, bread and beer, are commonly stored as abdominal fat. To lose midsection fat, it is best to stay away from fried, salty, sugary foods or foods laden with flour or saturated fat. Instead, concentrate on eating more fruits and vegetables and polyunsaturated fats.
Hormones
Menopausal women may find that as they get older, their bodies change how and where they store fat. As hormone production changes, some can develop great insulin resistance, which can lead to weight gain and eventually to type 2 diabetes, the Mayo Clinic reported.
References
- Chinese Medicine News: Ethnicity Determines How Body Stores Fat
- University of New Mexico: Cortisol Connection--Tips on Managing Stress and Weight Christine A. Maglione-Garves, Len Kravitz, Ph.D., and Suzanne Schneider, Ph.D.
- iHealthBulletin News:Too Much Sleep, Too Little Sleep--Both Increase Belly Fat in Young Adults
- Flat-Stomach-Exercises.com: Flat Stomach Exercise Myths
Member Comments