Pot bellies have, for generations, been associated with excessive intake of beer and other alcoholic drinks. However, experts have shed light on this, saying that pot belly is a hereditary problem which, when given the right environment, manifests in a man.
It is usually the practice in many communities to make fun of men with pot bellies, considering that big bellies are mostly seen in pregnant women. Some even attribute these big bellies to excessive alcohol consumption and the fact that such men eat a lot of meat.
Why some men have pot belly is a question that many wonder about, especially because hardly is it seen in young men, or even in those still in active sporting activities such as football and athletics. But not to worry: experts, looking into the phenomenon have found that pot belly in men is a hereditary attribute rather than a problem, arising from alcohol consumption.
Well, a study to shed light on this has revealed that although, people who drink regularly are more likely to put on weight, they do not necessarily accumulate fat around the belly regions.
While the experts believed that the study provided an empirical basis for the common belief that beer drinking and waist circumference were positively associated, they declared: “In terms of the beer belly belief, an explanation could be that all the observed beer bellies in the population result from the natural variation in fat patterning and not from the fact of drinking beer.”
The scientists who undertook this study looked at beer consumption, weight and body measurements in almost 20,000 people on two occasions over a period of eight years. Age, smoking, education, physical activity and several other chronic diseases were also taken into account by the researchers. Men who were classed as the heaviest drinkers regularly consumed over a litre of beer a day.
It found that increased beer consumption over time was linked with increased waist circumference, particularly for men. However, once a person’s overall weight was taken into account, the importance of these associations disappeared, thus suggesting that any weight gain from beer is distributed all over the body, rather than being concentrated around the waist.
The team’s conclusion, in the study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, was that genetic factors dictate how people put on weight far more significantly than drinking beer. Though they argued that beer bellies are actually caused by genes rather than heavy alcohol consumption, they insisted that their findings do not mean that drinking should be encouraged, and recommend giving up alcohol completely to avoid gaining weight.
Some cases were linked to stress. A hormone called cortisol, released during stress response, was implicated in developing belly fat.
Potbelly in many individuals may be an attestation to their poor eating habits. A man that eats lots of food and does little exercise is likely to develop a potbelly. It is also a function of body shape and gender.
For instance, in middle-aged women, hormone loss seems to play a role in its development after 40. As women lose oestrogen, the female hormone, weight gathers in the midsection.
Potbelly is due to over-indulgence in all sorts of food. Even if you have a genetic trait for being fat, if you take to your doctor’s advice early enough, it is possible to prevent pot belly occurring.
A lot of reasons such as consumption of a diet rich in sugar, fat and alcohol intake over time, can lead to someone having a pot belly. Evidences point to the fact that those with pot belly stand a higher risk of developing diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart disease.
Though some people are genetically predisposed to being fat, when such people indulge in taking unhealthy diet and live a sedentary lifestyle, the individual may be setting a foundation to developing pot belly and other cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart disease and thus, such people can die young from complications associated with these health conditions.
Potbelly could also be suggestive of other hidden diseases that are yet to manifest such as liver problem. Pot belly can occur in someone that has liver disease that stated for more than six months due to collection of water or fluid in their belly. It could be so big that when people see the man, many people may think it is a sign of good living.
Experts are of the opinion that the more beer you drink the more weight you gain. Beer and other alcoholic drinks are high in calories and will contribute to weight gain if taken in excessive amounts. Meanwhile, excess weight gain is detrimental to health in numerous other ways.
In terms of public health relevance, the researchers said, “Our data provided only limited evidence for a site-specific effect of beer drinking on waist circumference, and beer consumption seems to be rather associated with an increase in overall body fatness. It may be therefore important to focus on beer abstention to maintain body weight.”
Having a pot belly is not really worth it. Apart from the possibility of this predisposing to health problems like cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke, experts have linked it with cognitive decline as one gets older.
Abundant evidence shows exercise can help with pot belly. The benefits of exercise may sound too good to be true, but decades of solid science confirm that half an hour of moderately intense physical activity in a day can help you avoid a host of serious ailments, including heart disease, diabetes, depression, and several types of cancer, particularly breast and colon cancers. Regular exercise can also help one sleep better, reduce stress, control one’s weight, brighten one’s mood, sharpen one’s mental functioning, and improve one’s sex life. In a nutshell, exercise can help maintain a health and well-being.
