The fat that accumulates deep in your stomach and around your internal organs appears to pose unique dangers not attributed to fat in other parts of the body. While the exact mechanisms remain unknown, belly fat is metabolically active, meaning it releases hormones and other chemicals that can affect various aspects of health. While no specific amount of belly fat has been identified as the threshold for the danger zone, it appears men with a waist circumference greater than 40 inches and women with one greater than 35 have the highest risk of problems associated with excess belly fat.
Heart Disease and Stroke
According to Harvard Health Publications, abdominal fat releases cytokines -- chemicals that can promote artery-damaging inflammation. The proximity of belly fat to the portal vein, the main artery that delivers blood to the liver, and its release of harmful chemicals into it might affect cholesterol production in the liver. This can lead to high levels of "bad" cholesterol, which clogs arteries, and low levels of "good" cholesterol, which helps remove the former from the body. Excess belly fat also exerts negative effects on blood pressure and normal blood clotting. All of these factors increase your risk for heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
Diabetes
Belly fat appears to increase your body' resistance to insulin -- the hormone that helps control blood sugar levels -- which causes the body to produce more and more to complete the task. Eventually, the pancreas cannot keep up with the demand, and it stops producing enough to properly control your blood sugar. This sets the stage for Type 2 diabetes, which increases your risk of several complications including heart attack, stroke, foot amputation, nerve damage, kidney failure and blindness.
Cancer
Harvard Health Publications notes a European study of over half a million people that found women with a waist to hip ratio greater than 0.85 were 52 percent more likely to develop colon cancer. The MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas says belly fat has been linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, postmenopausal breast cancer and uterine cancer. MD Anderson explains that the excess insulin production triggered by belly fat can cause the body to produce too many cells, including cancer cells. Its effect on hormone levels could increase the risk for hormone-related cancers.
Cognitive Function
While you might associate excess weight with primarily physical problems, research indicates the release of harmful and inflammatory chemicals from fat deep in the abdomen can influence brain health as well. A study published in the March 2006 issue of "Neurology" found a link between belly fat and increased risk of dementia. Starting in the 1970s, researchers from Kaiser Permanente followed over 6,500 people for three decades. By the end of the study, 16 percent of participants had been diagnosed with dementia. When compared to normal weight subjects, overweight participants -- having a BMI between 25 and 29 -- with excess belly fat were 2.3 times more likely to suffer from dementia, while obese participants -- a BMI 30 or higher -- were 3.6 times more likely. A Boston University School of Medicine study in the May 2010 issue of "Annals of Neurology" reported a link between excess abdominal fat and reduced brain volume, a strong predictor of the development of dementia.
References
- Science Daily: Abdominal Fat at Middle Age Associated With Greater Risk of Dementia: Obesity Linked to Lower Total Brain Volume; May 2010
- Harvard Health Publications: Abdominal Fat and What To Do About It
- Newsweek Magazine: Big Belly, Bad Memory
- MD Anderson Cancer Center: Get Rid of Belly Fat -- Fight Cancer; Adelina Espat; February 2010
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