it should be no surprise that having an excess of belly fat is incredibly unhealthy.<\/p>\n
to use more technical terminology, the extra belly fat is more commonly known as “visceral fat” in the medical world, referencing the fatty area which encompasses the liver along with other abdominal organs.<\/p>\n
there is even an increased risk of serious health issues if you are of average weight and still pack on some extra fat in your belly \u2013 which is called normal-weight central obesity, states research in the annals of internal medicine<\/a>.<\/p>\n
below is a list of 10 things that contribute to visceral fat in your stomach.<\/p>\n
trans fats and belly fat<\/h2>\n
in the world of unhealthy fat, there is none unhealthier than trans fat, claims the mayo clinic<\/a>.<\/p>\n
in addition to this, there has been a plethora of animal studies (e.g., obesity<\/a>) and medical research indicating that trans fat could be the culprit behind excess belly fat, webmd<\/a> writes.<\/p>\n
one study in obesity<\/a> showed that by its completion, male african green monkeys that were given an 8% trans fat diet experienced significant weight gain coupled with increased intra-abdominal fat deposition, even though each of the subject groups was taking in enough calories to maintain their weight.<\/p>\n
many food companies have left trans fats aside, but it\u2019s best to track your foods with a weight-loss app like noom<\/strong><\/a><\/a> to see all the nutritional information.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
low-protein diets<\/h2>\none of the best ways to prevent weight gain is consuming a sufficient amount of dietary protein.<\/p>\n
research in the journal of the american college of nutrition<\/a> says that when you eat a meal that is high in protein, you feel more satiated and full.<\/p>\n
![\"some](\"\/\/www.digitopmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/belly-fat-meat.jpg\")
<\/p>\nhigh protein diets also increase thermogenesis as well as producing a sustained reduction of ad libitum caloric intake, as per a study in the american journal of clinical nutrition<\/a>.<\/p>\n
in addition to this, there have been several rather substantial studies (e.g., the american journal of clinical nutrition<\/a>) indicating that individuals who intake the highest amount of protein in their diet experience the least amount of excess belly fat.<\/p>\n
there have even been in vivo studies in mineral and electrolyte metabolism<\/a> and nature medicine<\/a> which found that neuropeptide y [a polypeptide consisting of 36 amino acids] causes high appetite and belly fat gain.<\/p>\n
the levels of neuropeptide y are elevated whenever your protein intake is too low, says a study in the journal of nutrition<\/a>.<\/p>\n
sugary foods and beverages<\/h2>\nyou may not realize it, but you could be taking in way more sugar in your daily diet than you think.<\/p>\n
foods that are high in sugar include candy, cake, muffins, and frozen yogurt.<\/p>\n
along with those, you have soda, flavored coffee drinks and sweet tea as more prominent sweetened beverages.<\/p>\n
there have been reports in the journal of nutrition<\/a> that showcase the connection between high amounts of sugar consumption and excess belly fat.<\/p>\n
![\"milkshakes](\"\/\/www.digitopmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/belly-fat-milkshake.jpg\")
<\/p>\nthe primary cause of this is the high levels of fructose content in the added sugars of these products, according to the journal of the american college of cardiology<\/a>.<\/p>\n
one 10-week human controlled study (journal of clinical investigation<\/a>) set out to test the effects of dietary sugars during sustained consumption.<\/p>\n
there is another report in the european journal of clinical nutrition<\/a> showing a decrease in metabolic rate along with a significant decline in net fat oxidation in participants who were given a similar diet which was high in fructose.<\/p>\n
it should be stressed that high amounts of sugar in any shape or form could result in weight gain and various health issues, but sugar-sweetened drinks could very well be leading the charge, writes the ames tribune<\/a>.<\/p>\n
more studies (e.g., international journal of obesity<\/a>) have pointed out that calories from liquid do not have the same effect as calories from solid foods, highlighting the fact that drinking beverages don’t supply the satiety that solid foods do, leading you to eat less or choose a different food instead.<\/p>\n
do you know how much sugar is in the foods you eat? use the extensive food database available from noom<\/strong><\/a><\/a> to see where the hidden sugars are coming from.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
belly fat and alcohol<\/h2>\nalcohol is known to possess harmful as well as helpful effects on human health.<\/p>\n
there are studies (e.g., critical reviews in clinical laboratory sciences<\/a>) which point out the suppressing effect that alcohol has on fat burning and shows that excess calories from the alcohol are semi-stored as belly fat.<\/p>\n
studies are showing the effects that alcohol has on midsection weight gain, with one study in epidemiology and health<\/a> showing male individuals who ingest more than three alcoholic beverages per day are typically 80% more likely to experience extra fat in their belly as opposed to men who consume less alcohol per day.<\/p>\n
one study in the journal of nutrition<\/a> evaluated the effects of drinking in moderation with belly fat, suggesting that those who ingested less than one drink per day had the least amount of belly fat, while those who had consumed less alcohol in general but more on the days where they “binged” were more likely to possess excess belly fat.<\/p>\n
the final verdict: consuming alcohol in large quantities is linked to several health issues as well as playing a significant role in excess belly fat, health.com<\/a> writes.<\/p>\n
is inactivity causing your belly fat?<\/h2>\nidle hands aren’t just the devil’s workshop \u2013 they can be the precursor to excess belly fat.<\/p>\n
throughout the past 30 years or so, human beings have become less active than they should be. this is among the list of reasons why so many suffer from obesity and extra tummy fat.<\/p>\n
one study in the american journal of medicine<\/a> showed that from the year 1988 to the year 2010 men and women in the us experienced significant weight gain and abdominal girth due to increased inactivity.<\/p>\n
some research in obesity<\/a> points out the importance of exercise following a period of weight loss, stating that those who kept resistance or aerobic exercise in their lifestyle following one year of weight-loss prevented weight gain, while those who remained inactive experienced a 25%-38% elevation in belly fat.<\/p>\n
getting active is crucial to over all, but so is eating a healthy, nutritious diet. noom<\/strong><\/a><\/a>\u00a0can help you log food and exercise to track your progress through the weight-loss journey.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
bacteria and belly fat?<\/h2>\nthere are seemingly countless amounts of bacteria that reside in your gut and colon. while some of these bacteria are beneficial to your health, others pose some potentially serious health concerns, says webmd<\/a>.<\/p>\n
gut flora is microorganisms that live in the digestive tract.<\/p>\n
as stated in scientific american<\/a>, research and reports indicate that an unhealthy balance of gut bacteria could not only cause serious health risks but increase chances for weight gain and excess belly fat.<\/p>\n
humans tend to contain a more substantial amount of firmicutes bacteria which could elevate caloric absorption from foods, says a study in nature<\/a>.<\/p>\n
one study (international scholarly research notices: obesity<\/a>) done in mice pointed out that conventionally raised mice had 40% more total body fat than germ-free mice.<\/p>\n
other studies (e.g., nature<\/a>) showcased the significance of sharing flora with siblings, using twins to highlight the link between weight gain and storage via a common core of shared flora within their mother.<\/p>\n
belly fat diet – low-fiber<\/p>\n
fiber is a great way to promote health and manage weight.<\/p>\n
according to mercola.com<\/a> and the journal of the american college of nutrition<\/a>, fiber assists in the feeling of satiety, balances hunger hormones and decreases absorption of calories from the foods we eat.<\/p>\n
one study in obesity<\/a> showed that fiber ingestion was linked to reduced belly fat, finding that there was a 3.7% reduction in body fat for each 10-gram addition of soluble fiber.<\/p>\n
an adult should consume about 35g of fiber daily. use an app like noom<\/strong><\/a><\/a> to track the foods you eat and the nutritional information, including fiber count.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
stress<\/div>is stress making you fat?<\/h2>\n
cortisol [produced by the adrenal glands] assists the body by releasing stress, medicinenet<\/a> states.<\/p>\n
when you become stressed, you may overeat, a review in endocrinology<\/a> suggests. the calories from these foods are then, because of cortisol, stored in the belly instead of dispersed throughout the body.<\/p>\n
what role does genetics play?<\/h2>\n
it should be no shock that genetics is a significant factor in risks for obesity, as a study in current genomics<\/a> indicates.<\/p>\n
it seems that one’s genetic makeup greatly influences belly fat storage and the body’s predisposed methods for storing it, suggests one study in philosophical transactions of the royal society b: biological sciences<\/a>.<\/p>\n
a study in human molecular genetics<\/a> pointed out three new genes that are linked to high abdominal obesity and waist-to-hip ratio.<\/p>\n
two of these three genes were found exclusively in females.<\/p>\n
sleep<\/div>not enough sleep<\/h2>\nnot getting a sufficient amount of sleep can be costly.<\/p>\n
there have been a large number of studies (e.g., the american journal of clinical nutrition<\/a>) linking the importance of sleep in weight management, possibly including body fat and belly fat.<\/p>\n
one study in the american journal of epidemiology<\/a> outlined the metabolic effects of sleep restriction, finding those who slept for five hours or fewer a night were more likely to gain weight than the participants who were getting at least seven hours of sleep.<\/p>\n
there is evidence which points to a lack of sleep being a culprit in obesity, according to the national sleep foundation<\/a>.<\/p>\n
in one particular report in the journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism<\/a>, it was discovered that obese patients suffering from lack of sleep possessed a higher amount of belly fat than obese patients with a regular sleep schedule.<\/p>\n
not getting enough sleep can also cause disturbances in mood. when you don\u2019t think you can stick with your new healthy lifestyle, the active virtual community with noom<\/strong><\/a><\/a>\u00a0is always there to help.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
![\"bacteria](\"\/\/www.digitopmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/belly-fat-bacteria.jpg\")
<\/p>\nis stress making you fat?<\/h2>\n
cortisol [produced by the adrenal glands] assists the body by releasing stress, medicinenet<\/a> states.<\/p>\n
when you become stressed, you may overeat, a review in endocrinology<\/a> suggests. the calories from these foods are then, because of cortisol, stored in the belly instead of dispersed throughout the body.<\/p>\n
what role does genetics play?<\/h2>\n
it should be no shock that genetics is a significant factor in risks for obesity, as a study in current genomics<\/a> indicates.<\/p>\n
it seems that one’s genetic makeup greatly influences belly fat storage and the body’s predisposed methods for storing it, suggests one study in philosophical transactions of the royal society b: biological sciences<\/a>.<\/p>\n
a study in human molecular genetics<\/a> pointed out three new genes that are linked to high abdominal obesity and waist-to-hip ratio.<\/p>\n
two of these three genes were found exclusively in females.<\/p>\n
not enough sleep<\/h2>\nnot getting a sufficient amount of sleep can be costly.<\/p>\n
there have been a large number of studies (e.g., the american journal of clinical nutrition<\/a>) linking the importance of sleep in weight management, possibly including body fat and belly fat.<\/p>\n
one study in the american journal of epidemiology<\/a> outlined the metabolic effects of sleep restriction, finding those who slept for five hours or fewer a night were more likely to gain weight than the participants who were getting at least seven hours of sleep.<\/p>\n
there is evidence which points to a lack of sleep being a culprit in obesity, according to the national sleep foundation<\/a>.<\/p>\n
in one particular report in the journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism<\/a>, it was discovered that obese patients suffering from lack of sleep possessed a higher amount of belly fat than obese patients with a regular sleep schedule.<\/p>\n
not getting enough sleep can also cause disturbances in mood. when you don\u2019t think you can stick with your new healthy lifestyle, the active virtual community with noom<\/strong><\/a><\/a>\u00a0is always there to help.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n