Abdominal fat a few inches below your umbilicus has been linked to hormone imbalances and poor health, according to the book, "The Belly Fat Cure: Discover the New Carb Swap System and Lose 4 to 9 Lbs. Every Week." The most common causes of increased lower abdominal fat are hormones, aging and genetics. It is important to discuss any health concerns with your health care provider.
Hormones
Harvard Medical School indicates that when estrogen production decreases, while the level of androgens rises, the body increases the production of belly fat. This hormonal imbalance occurs most commonly in a condition called polycystic ovary disease, according to the book, "The Belly Fat Cure: Discover the New Carb Swap System and Lose 4 to 9 Lbs. Every Week." In other conditions when your estrogen levels are reduced, the amount of cortisol in your body increases, which is a stress hormone linked to causing greater amounts of abdominal fat.
In men, low levels of available testosterone have been linked to increased belly fat, according to the book, "The Belly Fat Cure." Too much belly fat in men converts testosterone to estrogen and is also linked to muscle atrophy.
Age
According to MayoClinic.com, belly fat increases as your metabolism slows down from aging. After menopause especially, the fat distribution in your body tends to shift away from your extremities to increase right under your belly button. Women are more likely to incur greater amounts of fat in the abdominal region from aging than men.
Genetics
Certain body types are more prone to acquiring belly fat than others, according to Harvard Medical School. The two main body types are apple and pear shapes.
Although apple-shaped bodies have a greater distribution overall to their torsos, pear-shaped bodies are more likely to have belly fat a few inches below the umbilicus, according to "The Belly Fat Cure."
References
- MayoClinic.com: Belly Fat
- Harvard Medical School: Abdominal Fat
- "The Belly Fat Cure: Discover the New Carb Swap System and Lose 4 to 9 Lbs. Every Week"; Jorge Cruise; 2009
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