We live in the days where there is so much intake of junk food and this has led to the alarming rate of belly fat experienced amongst men and women. The health issues associated with belly fat cannot be overemphasized. Too much belly fat can increase your risk of certain chronic conditions. The say that you are what you eat is very true. Having excess belly fat can negatively affect health and may contribute to several chronic conditions.
Types of belly fat
It is normal to have some fat in your belly because it helps to protect and insulate your body.
However, excess belly fat is harmful to your health and increase your risk of developing certain chronic diseases. As such, keeping your total body fat, including your belly fat, at a healthy level can be helpful.

There are two main types of belly fat — one is found under your skin and the other is found deeper inside your abdomen, surrounding your internal organs.
Subcutaneous belly fat
Subcutaneous fat, or subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), is the fat that’s found under your skin
Subcutaneous fat is soft, and it’s the fat you see “jiggling” on your belly. In general, women have greater amounts of subcutaneous fat than men
Unlike the fat that’s found deeper in the abdominal cavity, subcutaneous fat isn’t as strongly linked to increased disease risk.
However, having too much body fat, in general, including total belly fat, may increase your risk of developing some chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers
Nonetheless, maintaining healthy levels of belly fat and overall body fat may help reduce your risk of developing a chronic disease.
Visceral belly fat
Visceral adipose tissue (VAT), or visceral belly fat, is the fat that surrounds internal organs like your kidneys, liver, and pancreas, so it’s much deeper in your abdomen than subcutaneous fat. This is commonly referred to as “harmful” belly fat.
Compared with subcutaneous fat, visceral fat is much more metabolically active. This type of fat contains more cells, blood vessels, and nerves than subcutaneous fat.
Visceral fat is strongly linked to increased resistance to the hormone insulin, which regulates your blood sugar levels. Over time, insulin resistance may lead to elevated blood sugar levels and the development of type 2 diabetes
Visceral fat also contributes to systemic inflammation, which may raise your disease risk.
Men are more likely to accumulate visceral fat than women, which is why men are more likely to develop an “apple-shaped” figure as belly fat grows. On the other hand, women are more likely to develop excess fat in the lower body, leading to a “pear” shape.
Interestingly, body fat distribution changes with age. For example, while premenopausal women have higher levels of subcutaneous belly fat, postmenopausal women tend to have higher levels of visceral fat, which contributes to an increased risk of metabolic.

Causes of belly fat
Over the years, there has been this debate on the cause of belly fat. It is worthy of note that belly fat is caused by some many factors, such as a sedentary lifestyle, hormones, and the foods you eat may increase your abdominal fat. This can include not eating containing enough fiber and protein. Belly fat is caused by some money factors. In this book, we will focus on some of the common causes of excess belly fat.
1. Poor dieting
Too much intake of sugary food such as cakes, drinks, soda, chocolate and fruit juice can:
• cause weight gain
• slow a person’s metabolism
• reduce a person’s ability to burn fat
research has also shown that low-protein, high-carb diets may also affect weight. Protein helps a person feel fuller for longer, and people who do not include lean protein in their diet may eat more food overall.
Eating food that contains Trans fats also raises your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels. Eating trans fats increases your risk of developing heart disease and stroke. It’s also associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Trans fat can cause inflammation and may lead to obesity, Trans fats can be found in many foods – including fried foods like doughnuts, and baked goods including cakes, pie crusts, biscuits, frozen pizza, cookies, crackers, and stick margarines and other spreads.
The American Heart Association recommends that people replace trans fats with healthy whole-grain foods, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats.
Reading food labels can help a person determine whether their food contains trans fats.
2. Excessive alcohol intake
Consuming excess alcohol can cause a variety of health problems, including liver disease and inflammation.
A study that was done in 2015 on alcohol consumption and obesity found that drinking excess alcohol causes males to gain weight around their bellies, though study results in females are inconsistent.
3. Lack of exercise
Not getting enough exercise can raise the risk of a person developing type 2 diabetes. If a person consumes more calories than they burn off, they will put on weight. An inactive lifestyle makes it hard for a person to get rid of excess fat, particularly around the abdomen.

Lack of exercise has clearly been shown to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and other conditions:
• Less active and less fit people have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure.
• Physical activity can reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes.
• Studies show that physically active people are less likely to develop coronary heart disease than those who are inactive. This is even after researchers accounted for smoking, alcohol use, and diet.
• Lack of physical activity can add to feelings of anxiety and depression.
• Physical inactivity may increase the risk of certain cancers.
• Physically active overweight or obese people significantly reduced their risk for disease with regular physical activity.
• Older adults who are physically active can reduce their risk for falls and improve their ability to do daily activities.
4. Stress
When a person is in a dangerous or high-pressure situation, their body releases cortisol, and this can impact their metabolism. A steroid hormone known as cortisol helps the body control and deal with stress.
People often reach for food for comfort when they feel stressed. Cortisol causes those excess calories to remain around the belly and other areas of the body for later use.
5. Genetics
Several studies have shown that a person’s genes can play a part in whether they become obese or not. Scientists are of the opinion that genes can influence behavior, metabolism, and the risk of developing other obesity-related diseases.
Some other studies also suggest that a mother’s environment, habits and diet during pregnancy can have lasting consequences on body weight and risk of chronic disease in the offspring
Other Environmental and behavioural factors also play a role in the likelihood of people becoming obese.
Research now shows that genetic components of obesity account for 40 percent to 50 percent of the variability in body weight status. There are around 250 gene associated with obesity.

6. Poor sleep/sleep apnea
Studies have links weight gain to short sleep duration, which could lead to an excess of belly fat. However, causality cannot be inferred from this study.
Short duration of sleep is linked to an increase in food intake, which may play a part in the development of abdominal fat.
Not getting enough good sleep also may, potentially, lead to unhealthy eating behaviors, such as emotional eating and in some cases can cause memory loss.
7. Smoking
Smoking is a risk factor associated with increased belly fat, as well as many other serious health issues. Quitting smoking can significantly reduce the risk from excess belly fat, as well as improve overall wellbeing.
Researchers may not consider smoking to be a direct cause of belly fat, but they are of the view that it may be a risk factor.
Ways of reducing Belly fat
Losing fat in the abdomen is considered as an herculean task, but there are several things you can do to reduce excess abdominal fat.

1. Eating plenty of food rich in fiber
Soluble fiber can absorb water and form a gel that helps slow down food as it passes through your digestive system.
Studies have shown that this fiber may promote weight loss by helping you feel full, so you naturally eat less
What’s more, soluble fiber may help reduce belly fat.
Soluble fiber may also help you reduce weight by increasing fullness and reducing calorie absorption. It is recommended that you include plenty of high fiber foods in your diet.
2. Avoid foods that contain trans fats
Trans fats are created by pumping hydrogen into unsaturated fats, such as soybean oil. Trans fats can also be found in many foods – including fried foods like doughnuts, and baked goods including cakes, pie crusts, biscuits, frozen pizza, cookies, crackers, and stick margarines and other spreads. These fats have been linked to inflammation, heart disease, insulin resistance, and abdominal fat gain in observational and animal studies Some studies in the past have linked the high intake of trans fat to increased belly fat gain. Regardless of whether you’re trying to lose weight, limiting your intake of trans fat is a good idea.

To help reduce belly fat, it is recommended that you avoid eating products that contain trans fats.
3. Reduce your alcohol intake
Taking Alcohol in small in little quantity can have some health benefit, but it can be harmful when it consumed excessively. Research suggests that too much alcohol can contribute to belly fat.
Research have linked heavy alcohol intake to significantly contributing to the risk of developing excess fat storage around the waist,
Reduction in consumption of alcohol may help reduce your waist size. You don’t need to give it up completely, but limiting the amount you drink in a single day can help.
4. Eat food rich in protein
Protein is a critical part of the processes that fuel your energy and carry oxygen throughout your body in your blood. It also helps make antibodies that fight off infections. Protein is an extremely important nutrient for weight management. High protein intake increases the release of the fullness hormone peptide YY, which decreases appetite and promotes fullness.
Protein also raises your metabolic rate and helps you to retain muscle mass during weight loss.
Studies have shown that people who eat more protein tend to have less abdominal fat than those who have less protein in their diet.
It is important that we include a good protein source at every meal. High protein foods, such as fish, meat, eggs, dairy and beans, may be beneficial when trying to reduce belly fat.

5. Stress reduction
Stress is factor that can make you gain belly fat, this happens by triggering the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, also known as the stress hormone.
Research suggests that long-term increases in cortisol levels are linked to abdominal obesity – in other words, belly fat. Prolonged stress leads to increased blood sugar levels, which makes cortisol levels rise, which increases belly fat. To help reduce belly fat, it is recommended that you engage in activities that relieve stress such as meditation, or even listening to music.
6. Avoid eating too much of sugary foods
Your body needs glucose, a form of sugar, to survive. But you don’t need to eat glucose or other sugary substance because your body makes it from the food you eat.3
Sugar contains fructose, which is linked to several chronic diseases when consumed in excess. Excessive intake of sugar can expose you to a wide range of health issues such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver disease Even the natural sugars, such as real honey should be used in moderation. Excessive intake of refined sugar can lead to belly fat gain.

7. Exercise regularly
Exercise is one of the most effective ways of improving our health and burn calories in our body. Aerobic exercise is an effective weight loss method. Studies suggest it’s particularly effective at reducing belly fat and overall body fat.
To decrease belly fat, you need to reduce your overall body fat percentage by creating a calorie deficit You can do this by doing aerobic or cardio exercise, such as walking, running, or cycling, for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week. You can also try high intensity interval training (HIIT) to burn more calories in less time. Additionally, you can strengthen your abdominal core muscles by doing exercises like Captains chair, which focuses on your ab muscles
10. Reduce sugar-sweetened beverages
Sugar-sweetened beverages are liquid drinks that are sweetened with various forms of added sugars like brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, molasses, raw sugar, and sucrose.
Sugar-sweetened beverages are high in added sugars like fructose, which can contribute to belly fat.
Research have shown that people with type 2 diabetes consume at least one serving of sugar-sweetened beverages per week was associated with increased belly fat compared to consuming less than one serving per week.
To lose belly fat, it’s best to limit your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages such as:
• soda
• punch
• sweet tea
• alcohol mixers containing sugar
11. Get enough sleep
Having a good sleep is important for many aspects of your health, including weight. Most cells of the body show increased production and reduced breakdown of proteins during deep sleep. Sleep helps humans maintain optimal emotional and social functioning while we are awake by giving rest during sleep to the parts of the brain that control emotions and social interactions. Studies show that not getting enough sleep may be linked to a higher risk of obesity and increased belly fat for some groups
A research work carried out about 15years ago involving more than 68,000 women found that those who slept fewer than 5 hours per night were significantly more likely to gain weight than those who slept 7 hours or more per night.
Excess visceral fat has been linked sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts.
It is medically recommended that you sleep for at least 7 hours per night.

12. Track your food intake and exercise
It is a known fact eating less and exercising more is a recipe for losing weight. Naturally, this makes sense – burn more calories than you eat, and the pounds will come off.
It was Megan Wroe, a registered dietitian and wellness manager with Providence St. Jude Medical Center in Southern California, who say that: “Initially, any caloric restriction will almost always result in weight loss,”
Many things can help you lose weight and belly fat, but consuming fewer calories than your body requires for your body weight maintenance is vital.
Also, the use of food tracking tools can help you to see your intake of protein, carbs, fiber, and micronutrients. Many also allow you to record your exercise and physical activity.
13. Eat fatty fish every week
Eating food rich in Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to many health benefits. In particular, they may help promote brain and heart health, reduce inflammation, and protect against several chronic conditions.
They’re rich in high quality protein and Omega-3 fats, which may offer protection against chronic disease
Studies have shown that foods that contains Omega-3 fats may also help reduce visceral fat.
Several other studies carried out in adults and children with fatty liver disease have shown that omega-3 supplements may significantly reduce liver and abdominal fat. Some of the recommended fish rich in fatty acid includes: salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel, etc.
14. Reduce intake of fruit juice
Fruit juice are drinks known to be rich is vitamins and minerals needed for healthy living, on the other hand, it’s often just as high in sugar as soda and other sweetened beverages.
Fruit juice often contains as much sugar as soda and may contribute to weight gain if consumed in huge quantity. It’s best to moderate your consumption and drink a lot of water or other unsweetened iced tea.

Research suggests that consuming huge amounts of fruit juice could contribute to weight gain due to the excessive number of calories that it provides rather than the fructose that it contains.
15. Engage in intermittent fasting
This might sound religious, in the real sense of it, of late, fasting has become one of the very popular weight loss strategies.
It has been proven scientifically that Intermittent fasting can help you lose belly fat by reducing overall food intake and insulin levels while boosting metabolism, norepinephrine levels, and human growth hormone (HGH) levels. A review of 130 randomized clinical trials found “moderate to high-quality” evidence that intermittent fasting helped overweight and obese adults lose weight and improve some measures of risk for cardiovascular disease
One of the most popular methods involves 24-hour fasts once or twice per week. Another consists of fasting every day for 16 hours and eating all your food within an 8-hour period.
Also bear in mind, that there’s some older evidence suggesting intermittent fasting may negatively affect blood sugar control in women but not men
Although certain modified intermittent fasting methods appear to be better options, stop fasting immediately if you experience any negative effects.
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that alternates between periods of eating and fasting. Studies suggest that it may be one of the most effective ways to lose weight and belly fat.
16. Eating late at night
Over the years, there has been this debate on eating late at night been linked to greater body weight and belly fat. While a school of thought believe that there is a great correction between the timing of your meal and belly fat, the other school of thought have a different view.
Some studies have actually shown that eating late at night is linked to greater body weight. They found that eating four hours later than normal actually changed many of the physiological and molecular mechanisms that favour weight gain.
To conduct their study, the researchers had 16 participants follow two different meal schedules, each for a period of six days total.
The first protocol had participants eat their meals early in the day with the last meal consumed approximately six hours and 40 minutes before bedtime. The second protocol had participants eat all of their daily meals approximately four hours later. This meant they skipped breakfast and instead had lunch, dinner and an evening meal. Their last meal was consumed only two and a half hours before sleep.
The study was conducted in a controlled lab, which ensured the participants in each group consumed an identical diet, and that all of their meals were evenly spaced with around four hours between them.
To understand how late eating affected the body, the researchers specifically looked at three different measures which are associated with weight gain:
1. The influence of appetite,
2. The impact of eating time on energy expenditure (calories burned), and
3. Molecular changes from fat tissue.
Appetite was measured using two techniques. The first technique was having participants rate their feelings of hunger throughout the day. The second technique was by collecting blood samples to look at the levels of appetite-regulating hormones in participants’ blood – such as leptin (which helps us feel full) and ghrelin (which makes us feel hungry). These hormones were assessed hourly over a 24-hour period during the third and sixth day of each trial.
To assess the effect of meal timing on daily energy expenditure, a technique called “indirect calorimetry” was used. This measures both the amount of oxygen a person uses alongside the amount of carbon dioxide they produce. This helps researchers estimate how many calories a person’s body uses throughout a normal day.
To examine how late-night eating affects the way the body stores fat on a molecular level, the researchers performed a biopsy on fat tissue taken from the abdomen. Only half of the participants agreed to this.
The team found that compared to an early eating pattern, late eating not only increased subjective feelings of hunger the following day, it also increased the ratio of “hunger” hormones in the blood – despite participants eating an identical diet in both protocols. Late eating also caused a decrease in the number of calories burned the following day. In the participants who did the fat tissue biopsy, late eating was also shown to cause molecular changes that promote fat storage.
Together, these results indicate that late eating leads to a number of physiological and molecular changes that, over time, could lead to weight gain.
17. Menopause
Menopause is the time that marks the end of your menstrual cycles. It’s diagnosed after you’ve gone 12 months without a menstrual period. Menopause can happen in your 40s or 50s, but the average age is 51 in the United States
The hormone called estrogen is commonly blamed for post-menopausal belly fat. Estrogen is the hormone that most of us blame for post-menopausal belly fat. Estrogen is produced by your ovaries and by your fat cells. When menopause puts the brakes on estrogen from your ovaries, your body looks to your fat cells to keep it supplied. So, after menopause belly fat helps your body make the estrogen it wants.
Gaining belly fat during menopause is very common. Natural hormonal changes during menopause result in a shift in fat storage from the hips and thighs to fat stored around the abdomen.
At puberty, the hormone estrogen signals the body to begin storing fat on the hips and thighs in preparation for a potential pregnancy. This subcutaneous fat isn’t harmful from a health standpoint, although it can be difficult to lose in some cases.
While menopause is a completely natural part of the aging process, interventions such as estrogen therapy may lower your risk of abdominal fat storage and its associated health risks

Conclusion

There are varieties of factors that can increase the likelihood of gaining excess belly fat. Some you have control over, while some others, you do not have control over, like your genes and natural hormone changes at menopause. But there are also many factors you do have the ability to manage.
It is about decision, you deciding on what you eat and what to avoid, how much you exercise, and stress management can all help you lose belly fat and manage the associated health risks.