A belly fat is a condition in which excess fat accumulates in the stomach compared to other parts of the body. This is not just an unsightly thing, but this fat (visceral fat) that accumulates around our internal organs doubles the risk of fatty liver, heart disease, and type-2 diabetes. Here are the main reasons behind a belly fat:
Excessive carbohydrates and sugar: The large amounts of rice, gourd, and flour desserts that we eat in the Malayali diet quickly turn into glucose in the body. When these calories cannot be burned completely, the body stores them as fat in the stomach. In addition, the ‘fructose’ contained in soft drinks and sugar in tea directly causes a belly fat.
Lack of sleep and severe mental stress: Those who sleep less than 6-7 hours a day and those who live under severe stress are more likely to get a belly fat. When there is mental stress, the body produces a hormone called ‘Cortisol’. This hormone is one of the factors that causes an increase in the amount of belly fat and excessive hunger.
Insulin Resistance: When cells are unable to use the hormone insulin properly, insulin levels in the blood remain high. Since insulin is a ‘fat storing hormone’, it prevents the body from burning fat and causes fat to accumulate mainly in the abdominal area.
Lack of exercise and sedentary work: People who work in the same position for many hours (Sedentary Lifestyle) have reduced movement of the abdominal muscles. This slows down the body’s metabolism and causes all the calories from the food consumed to accumulate in the abdomen.
Age and hormonal changes: As we age, the amount of muscle in the body decreases and metabolism slows down. In women, especially after menopause, the decrease in estrogen levels can cause fat to concentrate from the hips to the abdomen.
