Take Charge of Your Health

Why Belly Fat in Men Matters

Many people carry around a few extra pounds of body fat, but may not make it a priority to lose as long as they still have some muscular definition. Males in particular often carry their extra weight in their midsection. Unfortunately, this is the most harmful location on the body to carry extra weight.

Belly Fat

Hormones are the driving factor behind the location of fat deposits on the body. For men this location is around their stomach. Two types of fat are created, one more dangerous than the other.

Subcutaneous Fat-located just below the skin of the belly:

While visually unappealing does not cause health problems;

Visceral Fat-located deep within the abdomen surrounding internal organs:

Causes inflammation through stomach and internal organs ¹

Increased Risk

Regardless of overall weight, having a large amount of belly fat, especially visceral fat, increases your risk of:

Sleep Apnea; Cardiovascular Disease; Type 2 Diabetes from Insulin Resistance (Men are 32% more likely than women to be hospitalized for long-term complications of this disease ²); Colorectal Cancer; High Blood Pressure ³

Better Health

A healthy diet and increased physical activity are the keys to a healthier body and can protect you from health problems associated with Belly Fat. ⁴

Diet:

Planning your meals in advance helps you stay accountable; Focus on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein, and low fat dairy; Limit saturated and trans fats, sodium and added sugars; Cut back on portion size

Exercise:

Try to be active 30 Minutes 5 times a week; Walking, swimming, biking, hiking, basketball, etc.;

Wash your car, clean your house, work in your yard

To live a strong, long and healthy life, men must be conscientious of the dangers of carrying excess weight around their midsections and the effects it has on the body’s organs and functions. Knowledge and increased awareness of the entire body’s composition can help keep men healthy along with a healthy diet and increased physical activity.

¹ http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2016/160425/ncomms11378/full/ncomms11378.html

² http://www.ahrq.gov/patients-consumers/patient-involvement/healthy-men/index.html

³ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685

⁴ https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/weight-control/active-at-any-size/Pages/active-at-any-size.aspx

American University

Washington, D C