Beer guts have several names and guises; they also are referred to as beer bellies or “spare tires," for instance. Although beer guts are not caused directly by drinking a lot of beer, alcohol can affect a lifestyle that is more likely to lead to excessive weight gain. Other factors -- including waist-to-hip ratio, gender and caloric intake -- can affect beer guts.
Formation
Beer guts are not caused directly or solely by drinking beer. A 2003 study published in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition" reported that doctors could see no direct link between beer consumption and weight gain. Rather, ingesting too many calories -- and not exercising to burn off those calories -- helps form beer guts. While certain alcoholic beverages -- especially beers -- have many calories, high calories from food are still the biggest cause of beer guts.
Characteristics
The 2003 study found that instead of beer, factors that more likely affected obesity in the form of beer guts were body mass index and the body’s distribution of fat in waist-to-hip ratio. In addition, beer guts are distinctly individual. They are related to genetics through metabolism and bone structure, as well as to individual lifestyle, exercise and diet routines. For example, some beer guts may be flatter because of a person's abdominal exercise regimen, while others may look different because of hair or stretch marks from rapid growth.
Waist-to-Hip Ratio
Waist-to-hip ratio measures the distribution of fat your body stores in different areas of your body. Fat can be stored in several locations including the buttocks, legs and arms. However, waist-to-hip ratio specifically relates to the amount of fat your body stores on your waist. A lot of stored body fat on the waist contributes to the pear-shaped body appearance, of which the beer gut is often a part.
Hormonal Differences
Another factor to consider regarding beer guts is how hormones differ between genders. Female hormones, for example, cause fat to be stored away from the stomach, while male hormones tend to cause bodies to store fat in the stomach. This is why men are more likely to get a beer gut than women are.
