3 Lesser-known Conditions that May be Caused by Belly Fat

Belly Fat Is Really That Bad?

There is a well-established link between belly fat and increased risk of numerous metabolic and heart diseases. In addition, some studies also link bulging belly to certain types of cancer. However, focusing only on these conditions can distract you from seeing the whole picture.

Learn about three lesser-known health conditions that can result from having excessive fat in the stomach.

Health Effects of Belly Fat: Looking Beyond Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Cancer

1 - Excessive fat in the belly region can make you fall short of breath.

The link between central obesity and breathing might not seem too obvious but a very recent study published in the journal PLOS suggests abdominal fat can negatively impact your breathing capacity. The study which analyzed the clinical records of 1,145 subjects found that those with excessive belly fat are more likely to struggle with breathing problems. Because the subjects in the study were all non-smokers, the potential link should be a warning sign even when you don’t smoke. Interestingly, the researchers did not find a significant relation between SF and lung function.

3 - Visceral fat can make you dumb.

Not all geniuses are thin and the amount of fat in the stomach does not necessarily reflect intelligence or memory. But the results of this 2010 study are really interesting.

The study which looked at the link between belly fat and total brain volume in 733 participants with mean age 60 years found that:

• Participants with a wider waistline, which was measured by waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), had reduced total brain volume.

• There was a significant association between the amounts of visceral fat and a type of brain tissue called white matter. Most notably, the association was independent of BMI score and whether or not the participants had insulin resistance. BMI (Body mass index) gives a measure of body fat on the basis of an individual’s height and weight.