Belly fat is worse for you than fat elsewhere on your body, experts say.
They warn that excess accumulation of belly fat is more dangerous than excess fat around your hips and thighs.
“Belly fat is associated with serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes,” registered cardiologist Dr. Paul Olorunju, says.
He notes that a person’s genes can contribute to their being overweight and help determine where they carry this extra fat, warning that poor lifestyle choices are likely to worsen the issue.
Role of nutrition
Nutritionist, Dr. Viola Ben-Okoye, says fatty foods such as butter, cheese, and fatty meats, are the biggest cause of belly fat.
“Eating high-fat foods is not helpful, but excess calories of any kind can increase your waistline and contribute to belly fat.
“Still, there is no single cause of belly fat. Genetics, diet, age, and lifestyle can all play a role. Changing dietary habits can help you fight the battle of the bulge and fight belly fat: Read labels, reduce saturated fats, increase the amount of fruits and veggies you eat, and control and reduce your portions,” Ben-Okoye counsels.
Again, researchers at Wake Forest University found that trans fats, which are created by partially hydrogenated oil, increase the amount of fat around the belly and redistribute fat tissue to the abdomen from other parts of the body. Trans fats may be found in such foods as margarine, pastries, cookies, crackers, and fried and convenience foods.
Alcohol
According to Dr. Olorunju, calories from alcohol are worse for belly fat than other calories.
“Excess calories — whether from alcohol, sweetened beverages, or oversized portions of food — can increase belly fat,” the physician said, adding, “Our bodies need calories, yet gram for gram, alcohol has almost as many calories as fat.”
He says alcohol does seem to have a particular association with an increased waistline, noting that, in general, that’s because when you drink alcohol, your liver is too busy burning off alcohol to burn off fat, leaving you with a beer belly.
Indeed, studies show that alcohol can cause you to feel hungry by affecting hormones that regulate a sense of satiety.
Green tea with exercise
Green tea, in combination with exercise, could help you lose weight, according to the Journal of Nutrition.
Researchers think substances in green tea, known as catechins, stimulate the body to burn calories and enhance loss of belly fat.
Blueberries also show promise, at least in rodents. In one study, rats bred to become obese were fed either a high-fat diet or a low-fat diet rich in blueberries. Rats fed a blueberry-rich diet had less abdominal fat.
Fast foods
Fast foods can contribute to belly fat because the items are often high in fat, calorie-dense and usually overeaten, nutritionists say.
“Many fast-food options are typically high-fat, calorie-dense foods that are eaten in large portions — all of which contribute to overconsumption of calories, weight gain, and an increase in belly fat when eaten frequently,” Ben-Okoye explains.
She added that many fast-food restaurants don’t provide nutritional information, but studies have shown that when this is available, people tend to pick lower-calorie meals.
Sugary beverages
According to the American Heart Association, “soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages are the No. 1 source of added sugars in the American diet.”
Added sugars mean added calories — something you want to avoid to help with weight loss and cut down on belly fat. Yet, high-fructose corn syrup has gradually replaced refined sugar as the main sweetener in soft drinks and has been blamed as a potential contributor to the obesity epidemic.
Does switching to diet sodas help? Although some research has suggested that people who drink artificially sweetened sodas as part of a calorie-restricted diet do lose weight, other studies have suggested that diet soft drinks could even lead to weight gain.
Diet high in fiber
To trim your waistline, add whole grains to your diet. For example, choose brown or wild rice instead of white rice. Refined and other highly processed foods can contribute to weight gain and interfere with weight loss.
A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that a calorie-controlled diet rich in whole grains can trim extra fat from the waistline of obese subjects.
Men and belly fat
Overall, men tend to store fat in the abdominal area more than women do, thanks to sex hormone differences. Before age 40, women tend to store most of their fat in the hips, thighs, and buttocks. After 40, as oestrogen levels drop, body fat is redistributed to the abdomen.
Belly fat and health problems
Belly fat appears to be especially bad for the heart. Studies have linked belly fat to heart failure, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular problems. It also has been associated with osteoporosis, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, colorectal cancer, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, and other health problems.
Protein vs carbohydrates
Most scientific evidence suggests that a calorie-controlled diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, beans, nuts, seeds, lean meat, fish, eggs, and poultry is the foundation for a diet that provides all the nutrients you need while helping to whittle your waistline.
Weight loss experts recommend combining this diet with 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most days of the week.
