Having a large, fatty belly isn’t just about vanity but is also associated with a higher risk of death and diseases. This potbelly is often called as the beer belly. (People who consume beer often have fat bellies and hence the name) But singularly blaming beer may not be the right way to go about with it.
For starters, fat isn’t just present under one’s belly. The subcutaneous (meaning “under the skin) fat is found everywhere in the body. Even one’s earlobes have an amount of fat present in them. But unlike the belly fat, the present here isn’t harmful to the body.
SO how is subcutaneous fat distributed in the body? Studies say a person’s genetics and hormones dictate these decisions. For women, their thighs, but are fattier, as for men, their bellies get the better part of fats. But this may not be universal. A lot of people don’t actually fit into this description. Some have a mix of the two or a pattern that’s unique. All these different patterns are possible with a healthy, normal body. However, this may be noticeable with one’s subcutaneous belly fat more if one also has visceral fat.
Fat surrounding your organs is the type to worry about
So what kind of fats should you worry about? The one that surrounds your organs. So, if you’re worried about your belly fat, don’t worry about the external love handles, but what’s inside your abdomen. The most harmful kind of visceral fat is the one surrounding your organs. This type of fat, is inside, behind a wall of muscle. For example, if you poke your belly, and feel something squishy, that’s subcutaneous fat, if you keep poking it, you’ll feel a wall of muscle. The harmful, visceral fat is beyond that.
This fat is responsible for increasing the risk of heart disease, insulin resistance, and inflammatory chronic conditions. This is why waist size is a useful indicator of your health risks. It’s not perfect but tells this story better than BMI or total weight.
That being said, a beer belly isn’t just courtesy of beer and unhealthy habits. Apart from this, there are some conditions that cause the liver and other organs to enlarge. One, in particular, is linked to alcohol use. Frequent, constant alcohol use can lead to liver damage called cirrhosis. In extreme cases, this can result in ascites, a buildup of fluid inside the abdomen. If you have ascites, your doctor may be able to drain the fluid, but it’s a serious condition that often indicates you need a liver transplant.
Other than that, beer doesn’t have any particular connection with a beer belly. If you consume a lot of alcohol, you may be consuming a lot of calories, which can give you more fat of both types; you may also have other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. But you can’t blame your beer belly on beer.
