Why Do You Get Belly Fat?

There are a number of reasons for belly fat in teens and adults:

• Your genes may be responsible for your belly fat. Yes, it’s true. Genetics is a determinant of how the fat is distributed. You may be either apple-shaped or pear-shaped. For those who are pear-shaped, the fat tends to accumulate in the lower part of the body like the buttocks. But for those who are apple-shaped, your body tends to store fat around the middle section, thus resulting in fat accumulation around the belly.

• Weak metabolism is yet another reason. You must have noticed that some of your friends eat a lot of sugar-based foods, fried foods or cold drinks. Yet they manage to keep a flat stomach. The reason being, they have a very high metabolism rate. If your metabolism is not good, you may have a bloated stomach. Thyroid conditions, diabetes and other medical conditions can be the reasons behind slow metabolism.

• If the muscles around your abdominal area are saggy, they may lead to a fat belly.

• Learn to sit straight from your very childhood. Sitting with a curved back may result in all the fat accumulation around your stomach area.

• A sedentary lifestyle is one of the major causes behind the occurrence of belly fat. If you don’t indulge in any physical activity and spend most of the time sitting, watching T.V., reading etc, it is known as a sedentary lifestyle. Lack of regular exercise or not exercising at all can lead to fat storage around the belly area. In other words, being a couch potato will make you fat.
• If you eat too much, that can also lead to weight gain and belly fat. Coupled with a sedentary lifestyle, it can have major consequences.

Belly fat is in fact the colloquial term for abdominal fat. According to medical experts, belly fat can be potentially dangerous. Excess of it can lead to a number of health problems including heart diseases, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, a decrease in the level of HDL or good cholesterol, and can even lead to strokes or sleep apnea. You have to combat this problem before it gets too late.