Why Is Belly Fat So Dangerous to Your Health?
Belly fat affects many of us. Even if we’re not fat elsewhere on our bodies, for some reason it just seems to build up on the stomach. Unfortunately, belly fat carries extra risks than fat stored elsewhere on the body.
You shouldn’t aim to lose fat around your belly because you want to look better – let your health be a better motivator. I’m working on losing weight for many reasons, including getting in better health for me and my family.
There are a few conditions associated with fat in the abdomen region, including:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Cardiovascular disease
- Increased risk of colon, kidney, breast and other potentially deadly cancers
- For men, a higher risk of prostate cancer, sexual dysfunction and problems with a healthy sperm count
- Increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s
Research has also shown that fat around the belly is different from other types of fat. It’s more dangerous for your health than the fat concentrated around the legs or buttocks. Belly fat could promote rises in blood sugar levels, hence the link to type 2 diabetes. This is why it’s still a risk even if you don’t have much fat elsewhere on the body.
How to Measure Your Belly Fat
Although it can’t detect all types of belly fat, your waist measurement is a very good indicator of whether you’re in the healthy range or not. It’s a lot more accurate than only using the scales or only relying on BMI (Body Mass Index) measurements.
To measure your waist, do so around your bare stomach, just above your hips. Make sure that the tape is level horizontally and don’t pull in your stomach when you measure. The ideal waist measurement for women is under 35 inches. For men it’s under 40.
Watch Out, Even if You’re Skinny
Don’t think you’re completely healthy just because you’re skinny. You could have unhealthy belly fat that’s hidden close to your organs. This kind of fat can only be detected by medical scans, but it could still be there and it could still be putting your health at risk!
In fact, studies have shown that if you have a healthy BMI but lots of hidden abdominal fat, you could be more at risk than those with an obese BMI. Many just don’t realize that they need to do something about this kind of fat!
The truth is that belly fat can have negative consequences for you no matter what your overall weight. So keep an eye on your waist size, include physical activity in your daily routine and make sure to stick to a balanced diet. Although you can’t target weight loss specifically to your belly, exercising and eating better will make you lose weight all over the body.
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How scary. I’m skinny and didn’t think about fat around the organs.
I think my BMI is like 36….it use to be 21…how depressing.
This is something that I really need to work on! Thanks for the reminder!
My mom has type II diabetes and I’m terrified of getting it. I have been working hard to reduce my weight. I’m down over 50 lbs and still counting. I want to get to a healthy weight and stay healthy.
Great post! For some good tips on fat and how your diet affects your you could also watch Forks Over Knives. Its a great starting point for people to learn about proper eating and how we have been mislead for a long time.
This is great information and stuff that most people don’t really understand. It is so important to be healthy!
Working on this right now. Thanks for the extra motivation!