Pot Belly Can Trigger Diabetes to Heart Disease
JAKARTA, Headline24.id – A protruding belly is often considered merely an aesthetic issue. However, this condition can be a sign of visceral fat accumulation, which carries the risk of increasing various serious diseases, from type 2 diabetes to heart disease.
Visceral fat is fat stored around vital organs in the body such as the liver, pancreas, and intestines. Unlike fat located under the skin, this type of fat has a greater impact on health because it can affect various metabolic processes of the body.
Health experts warn that fat accumulation in the abdominal area should not be taken lightly as it can increase the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and other metabolic disorders.
Why is a Protruding Belly Dangerous?
Visceral fat is often referred to as "active fat" because it can produce substances that trigger inflammation in the body.
When its amount is excessive, this fat can disrupt hormone function, increase insulin resistance, and trigger various chronic diseases.
What needs to be aware of is that a person does not have to be overweight to experience this condition. Even people with normal weight can have high levels of visceral fat if there is fat accumulation in the abdominal area.
Therefore, waist circumference is often an important indicator in assessing a person's health risks.
Waist Circumference as an Important Health Indicator
Many people only focus on the number on the scale or Body Mass Index (BMI). However, experts believe that waist circumference also needs attention because it can provide an overview of the amount of fat stored around the body's organs.
Excess fat in the abdominal area is known to be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Maintaining an ideal waist circumference is one of the important steps to reduce the risk of various non-communicable diseases that are increasingly affecting the community.
Causes of a Protruding Belly That Need to Be Watched Out For
There are several factors that can trigger visceral fat accumulation in the abdominal area.
Some of these include a diet high in sugar, excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods, and lack of physical activity in daily life.
In addition, prolonged stress can also affect the production of certain hormones that promote fat accumulation around the abdomen.
Age also plays a role because the body's metabolism tends to slow down with age, making calorie burning less optimal.
Effective Ways to Reduce Belly Fat
Reducing belly fat cannot be achieved solely by exercises that focus only on abdominal muscles.
A more effective approach is to adopt a healthy lifestyle comprehensively and consistently in the long term.
Some steps that can be taken include:
- Regular exercise for at least 150 minutes per week.
- Consume a balanced nutritious diet.
- Reduce excessive sugar intake and sugary drinks.
- Increase consumption of vegetables, fruits, and quality protein.
- Get enough sleep every day.
- Manage stress well.
A combination of a healthy diet and regular physical activity can help reduce visceral fat while maintaining overall body health.
Don't Underestimate a Protruding Belly
A protruding belly is not just a matter of aesthetics or appearance. This condition can be a sign of visceral fat accumulation that has the potential to trigger various chronic diseases in the future.
Therefore, maintaining an ideal body weight, paying attention to waist circumference, and adopting a healthy lifestyle are important steps to prevent more serious health risks.
Regular health check-ups are also recommended so that the body's condition can be monitored early and treatment can be carried out more quickly if certain risk factors are found.
