Belly fat, also termed visceral fat, lies around the stomach and internal organs. While too much fat anywhere poses a problem, this type of fat has been identified as a more biologically active fat that significantly increases your risk of deadly health problems like hypertension, heart disease and diabetes. A complex web of activity helps maintain balance of hormones and other substances in your body necessary for optimal health. Imbalances in the production of hormones and other substances have been linked specifically to increasing abdominal fat.
Changes in Sex Hormones
As you age, your level of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone decline, both of which play a role in metabolism, ratio of muscle to fat and fat storage. The resulting increase in belly fat can affect both sexes but more prominently affects women, which explains the middle-age spread that shows up during the years leading up to and after menopause. These hormonal shifts lead your body to store more fat in general as well as create a tendency to store it in your midsection rather than your lower body.
Increased Cortisol Production
Your adrenal glands produce the stress hormone cortisol, which serves important functions, such as energy regulation. It also influences the location and maturation of fat cells. Outside factors, particularly increased stress levels, increase the amount of cortisol your body produces, and it appears in higher concentrations in abdominal fat compared to fat in other areas. The hormonal changes that occur during menopause have also been linked to increased cortisol levels. The connection between cortisol and belly fat has led to the development of weight-loss products that claim to reduce cortisol production and belly fat specifically, but none have any definitive scientific backing behind them.
Insulin Resistance
The pancreas produces the hormone insulin, which aids your body in using the sugar glucose for energy. It also affects the metabolization of fats and proteins. Insulin resistance occurs when your body cannot properly use the hormone for these functions. As a result, your body does not use glucose as efficiently as a source of energy and more gets stored as fat. Insulin resistance typically results from being overweight and reduced physical activity, meaning that if this imbalance is affecting you, you are probably already overweight and will continue to gain more visceral fat unless you reverse the problem through weight loss, diet and exercise. The more belly fat you accumulate, the worse this problem will get, creating a vicious cycle.
Tips for Reducing Belly Fat
Just like fat in other parts of the body, visceral fat will respond to diet and exercise. Since many of the imbalances that affect abdominal fat extend beyond your control, it might take more effort to lose belly fat. Harvard Health Publications, produced by Harvard Medical School, says you might require up to 60 minutes of physical activity daily to make a dent in belly fat. Research also has shown strength-training twice a week has been linked to a greater loss in abdominal fat -- the more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body needs to burn even at rest, leading it to draw on fat stores for energy. Reducing stress levels can help reduce cortisol. Good choices include aerobic exercise and activities like yoga and tai chi. Other stress reducers include mediation, deep breathing and visualization.
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