Weight Loss for Men: Understanding The Science Behind Belly Fat?

How to lose belly fat for men becomes a question in everyone’s mind because, with age, there is a high chance of acquiring belly fat in men. Chances are, people with an otherwise average physique end up with a pot belly. This is called ‘skinny-fat’ and Indian and South-Asian men, in particular, have a higher tendency than those in other countries to gather this fat. To understand how to get rid of belly fat for men, we first need to understand how it is caused.

The Science Behind Belly Fat

While there are multiple reasons that belly fat in men gathers, some of the major causes that lead to obesity includes:

1. Drinking carbonated beverages

Drinks high in sugar and carbonation contain no calories on the surface, but the energy they give is often turned into fat by the body and stored. To burn belly fat for men, this is the first thing to cut off or minimise as much as possible.

2. Overeating

Overeating, while bad even if done just once, is a poison that keeps on giving as it turns into a habit and then, an addiction. It can lead to various serious eating disorders, mess with your mental health and lead to worse physical health as well as increase belly fat in men. One of the first answers to how to lose belly fat for men dictates that overeating must be stopped.

3. Binge drinking

Alcohol is 100% carbohydrates. When we say ‘beer-belly’ we sometimes mean it. While at a younger age and with high metabolic rates this can be burned off, after the 30s, ideally, cutting off all alcoholic intake will work wonders in cutting down the belly fat in men as well.

4. Inflammation from an imbalanced gut microbiome

Not all of the belly fat in men is, well, fat. If you have become subject to a bacteria or virus due to bad food, this protrusion may be just an immune response. In case you feel this is what has happened, we recommend you talk to one of our experts as soon as possible. Your life could hang in the balance.

5. A lack of exercise

Exercise is essential to keeping the body in a fit condition. Getting rid of belly fat for men will include some light yoga, a jog around the neighbourhood or playing a sport for 30 minutes.

6. Stress

Stress and other mental health issues are a big reason for this. The higher the stress, the higher the amount of it and the harder it is to burn belly fat for men.

7. Ageing

Ageing and belly fat in men are directly correlated. As a man ages, he loses a lot of strength and stamina. The body does not perform as well as it did before. The metabolic rates go down and a host of other problems crop up. Ageing is something that can cause a hindrance in the process of getting rid of belly fat for men.

8. Smoking

Smoking is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to belly fat. Rather than burning away their lungs, they must put the butt out to burn belly fat for men.

Moreover, specifically for Indian men, there are various other reasons for belly fat including a carbohydrate-heavy diet paired with a more recent change from an agricultural, labour-intensive, high-heat lifestyle to a sedentary one. Low water consumption which leads to the minimization of the sensation of hunger. A deficiency of protein in the diet, an element required for muscular growth. This results in a lower metabolism- the rate at which the body burns calories at rest. Additionally, protein consumption causes you to feel fuller faster and a lack of it results in a higher caloric intake making it difficult to burn belly fat for men. Genetics also contribute to the buildup of fat around the waistline in comparison to other ethnicities. Moreover, on a daily basis, there is a lack of physical exercise. It is advised that people exercise for 30 minutes per day to burn belly fat for men. This is far from the norm in most Indian households.

The trouble with visceral fat – hidden fat 

The layer of fat cells or adipose tissue that envelops your abdominal organs deep inside your belly is called visceral fat. Now, almost all fat, when accumulated too much, is bad for you in terms of health. However, visceral fat is far more harmful than the fat that sits under your skin. This is why it is essential to get rid of belly fat for men.

Why is belly fat dangerous?

Because visceral or belly fat wraps around internal organs, it increases the risk of many major illnesses including Heart disease, Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and high cholesterol. Many studies also indicate that belly fat produces enzymes and proteins that inflame a person’s tissues and narrows their blood vessels which leads to high blood pressure over time.  You must know how to lose belly fat for men. Let’s start with genetics, specifically-

How does genetics play a role in belly fat?

Whether or not genetics lend a hand in increasing belly fat is still debated in the medical field. While most studies show that people who have more belly fat tend to share this similarity with their parents and relatives, whether this is an effect of genes or lifestyle is not fully accepted. A study conducted on twins raised together and apart, from different childhood environments concluded that “genetic influences on the body-mass index are substantial, whereas the childhood environment has little or no influence”.

However, another study by the CDC found that while “the obesity epidemic can be considered a collective response to an obesogenic environment”, obesogenic means a situation where food that is high in calories is cheap and easy to find while the chances of physical activity are limited which perpetuates obesity, people even within the same family- cousins, siblings, parents and so on- respond differently to it and not everyone collects fat the same way.

On the whole, women tend to have more fat around the hips because it is safer to conceive a baby when it is protected by fat, and men tend to have more fat in the lower back region. However, some research indicates, that is where the similarities end.

That said most studies agree that whatever be a person’s genetic make-up, losing belly fat is not impossible, nor does it become an indicator that once lost the fat would return. So, knowing how to lose belly fat for men becomes important.

Solutions

So you may wonder how to reduce belly fat for men or at least how to lose lower belly fat for males. The answers may not be as simple as you would like. You have to work on developing some healthy habits to work on stomach fat to reduce.

1. Keep Moving

Like we said before, some light yoga, a dance or two, and a little jog would not be amiss. The more the body moves, the better.

2. Eat Smart

You do need to cut down on the amount of food, but more importantly, you need to change it. Fewer carbs, less fat, more fibre and protein is the way to go. Next time you fill a plate, make sure you have more protein and greens than you have carbs and fat.

3. Drink Water

Hydration leads to a lower diet and a higher metabolic rate, so if you want to know how to reduce belly fat for men, this should be at the forefront.

4. Socialise

Those who have a larger circle of friends, so party hard but don’t have the junk food or alcohol and watch themselves transform into a better shape.

5. Consult a Diet Professional

Consulting a diet professional to fix your diet is a brilliant idea. They will help you tailor your diet in a way that best suits your particular body type. At Radiance hospitals we have many great nutritional experts that can help you transform your lifestyle.

6. Appointment with Bariatric Surgeon

If all else fails, there’s always bariatric surgery. We recommend that you talk to one of our esteemed Bariatric surgeons at the earliest of you face issues reducing visceral fat.

At Radiance hospitals, your priorities are our priorities. If you want to reduce your belly fat and keep it off, we have all the services available for you to do that. We can gently guide you through your journey and ensure you are never confused about the next step and know your progress.

Come and get rid of belly fat with us, because you are not alone and there is always a way out.

References:

Visceral Fat: https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-is-visceral-fat
https://www.healthcanal.com/life-style-fitness/how-to-lose-belly-fat-men

Genes and obesity:
https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/resources/diseases/obesity/obesedit.htm

Twins and belly fat:
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199005243222102

What effects does obesity have on the body?

Did you know obesity makes your body older? Is it not uncommon to hear that bad health has become a crisis today. Due to the current scenario of desk jobs and unhealthy eating, health- both physical and mental- has greatly suffered. One of the biggest side-effects of this is obesity.

Obesity is a condition in which a person has a harmful amount of body fat or an unhealthy distribution of body fat. It raises the risk for several serious health complications. Too much body fat puts a strain on bones and organs It also causes complex changes in hormones and metabolism and increases inflammation in the body.

People with obesity have a BMI- Body mass index- of 30 or higher. According to the ICMR-INDIAB study,  2015, “the prevalence rate of obesity and central obesity vary from 11.8% to 31.3% and 16.9%-36.3% respectively”. (1) There are a multitude of factors that lead to obesity including age, gender, environment, socio-economic status and so on. Let’s have a look at the effects of obesity on the body

1. Effects on the Brain

The effects of obesity on the body have to start with the brain. Health problems caused by obesity in the brain are twofold. The first is that there is a permeating risk of stroke due to high blood pressure. Another aspect is wholly psychological. Obesity can lead to a string of mental disorders from clinical depression to body image issues to anxiety and several eating disorders.

Therefore, if you or your loved ones are fighting against obesity, kindness needs to be the first step. Ridicule, hatred or constant nagging are worse for obesity. Instead, a little love, support and help in the fight would go a long way.

2. Effects on the Heart

High blood pressure, high levels of bad cholesterol and high blood sugar are all factors that can lead to the hardening of your arteries. Thus, the heart needs to pump harder to pump the same amount of blood throughout the body. This is what hypertension is, and this is the leading cause of heart attacks. This is how it leads to the risk of hypertension to the heart problem.

Moreover, these same factors with the added issue of an obese body and narrowed arteries to the heart lead to a condition called atherosclerosis which contributes to the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

3. Effects on the Lungs

The health effects of obesity on lung function are multifactorial, with mechanical and inflammatory parts of obesity playing a role. Obesity has a major impact on respiratory function, which adds to the burden of respiratory illness. These mechanical consequences are difficult to quantify using standard pulmonary function tests and BMI measurements.

4. Effects on the Liver

The liver is the organ, the pancreas within it specifically, that produces insulin. Insulin is the hormone responsible for carrying sugar from the bloodstream to the cells that can store it or use it for energy. Effects of obesity on the body, particularly the liver are since obesity can make cells resist insulin, which leads to high blood sugar seeing as the body’s cells are unable to store it.

High blood sugar and insulin resistance can result in Type 2 Diabetes over time. While it is certainly true that obesity is not the only reason for diabetes and Type 1 diabetes is genetic, obesity is surely a leading cause of it. Now, diabetes in itself comes with a lot of problems. It is connected with a range of ill effects from heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and amputation to blindness.

That being said, it is important to note that diabetes carries with it a lot of myths about being a disease of lazy people or that losing weight means diabetes will go away. So while you should stay warned that obesity may lead to diabetes, keeping in mind that it is not the only cause and that obese people may not always have diabetes is highly important.

5. Effects on the Stomach

The health effects of obesity include the stomach and the entire digestive system. Obesity has been linked to an increased risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). When stomach acid escapes into the oesophagus, it causes GERD.

Obesity’s impact on the health of the liver is also that it raises the chance of acquiring gallstones. This is the process through which bile accumulates and hardens in the gallbladder. This may necessitate surgery.

Fat can also accumulate around the liver, causing liver damage, scar tissue, and even liver failure.

6. Effects on the Kidney

Obesity and kidney injury are linked by many means which are well recognised. Obesity has been linked to an increase in urine excretion and an increased chance of developing Kidney stones. (2) Obesity’s impact on health shows in renal replacement treatment and kidney transplantation. Physical compression of the kidneys from the stacking up of adipose tissue around the organs stresses the health problems caused by obesity in the development of renal disease.

7. Effects on the Reproductive System

Health effects of obesity include menstruation abnormalities, infertility,  miscarriage, poor pregnancy outcome, reduced foetal well-being, and diabetes mellitus, according to epidemiological studies. Health problems caused by obesity are often linked with an elevated BMI. The introduction of assisted reproduction has highlighted the issues associated with being overweight, and the use of gonadotropins in ovulation induction and in vitro fertilisation is more difficult when the person is overweight. In fact, obesity’s impact on health is so much that losing weight has a significant impact on normalising the menstrual cycle and boosting spontaneous ovulation and conception.

8. Effects on the Muscles

Obesity’s impact on health is perhaps most visible by the effects of obesity on the body. Obesity causes the deterioration of muscle mass. (3) This leads to mobility problems and affects the contraction and relaxation of muscles. The problem is, once the obesity level tips into morbid obesity, the damage done cannot always be undone by simply losing weight.

This is why health problems caused by obesity should be understood to their full extent and steps should be taken to prevent further ill effects of obesity on the body. Effects of obesity on the body affect even those parts of the body that you would think are least important. Even if beauty is not important, keeping your muscles in shape is essential to have better health and fewer complications in the future.

9. Effects on the Bones

Skeletal damages are a part of the health effects of obesity. (3) Obesity may lead to changes in bone-regulating hormones, inflammation and oxidative stress. It leads to a reduction in cells to absorb calcium which leads to the deterioration of bones. What this means is that they are far more likely to get a fracture in a situation where others may have simply gotten a strain or a bruise. It affects bone density negatively and severely affects the health of joints due to an added burden of weight.

10. Effects on the Skin

Obesity greatly affects the barrier and moisturizing functions of the skin. (4) This leads to dryness and roughness of the skin. These effects include skin ulcers, Atopic eczema, skin infections, rashes, excessive stretching, pigmentation, warts and Psoriasis.

The unfortunate reality is that obesity and ageing have similar effects on the body. Simply by gaining weight, your body functions as if it were a much older, aged one. No organ is unaffected by obesity.

At Radiance Hospitals, we care about you. To figure out how to fight this crisis or to help your loved ones do the same, book a consultation with one of our experts and we’ll take it from there. Everything from the right diet, right exercise or anything else- you can leave your worries to us.

Come battle the health effects of obesity with us. And remember: you are never alone.

References:

1. Obesity numbers: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › 30641719
2. Kidney Stone: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8703549/
3. Muscle damage and bone damage: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5385856/
4. Skin: https://www.dermatologyadvisor.com/home/topics/general-dermatology/effects-of-obesity-on-skin/