According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 500 million adults worldwide are overweight or obese, with more than 2.8 million individuals dying every year because of these conditions. One common sign of being overweight is the extra pounds around your middle or ‘belly fat.
Although it’s normal to have some belly fat, it can put your health at risk when you go overboard. Before going to the last resort of getting rid of your stubborn belly fat through a fat freeze session, it pays to know the risks associated with it to prevent it from getting worse in the first place.
So if you’ve recently needed to move to a bigger pant size, here are the risks you may develop over time and how you can prevent them from happening.
Type 2 Diabetes
Having excessive belly fat can cause type 2 diabetes. That’s because fat deposited on your abdomen usually leads to type 2 diabetes. When this happens, it increases your body’s insulin resistance, a chemical responsible for regulating blood sugar levels inside your body. However, if the fat stays on your hips, you may have lower chances of developing this chronic condition. But overall, all types of fat in the body can be dangerous, so it’s best to avoid accumulating stubborn belly fat in the first place.
Respiratory Compromise (Difficulty in Breathing)
This medical condition refers to a person having difficulties in breathing that can lead to fatal consequences, and having belly fat can worsen this condition. That’s because the excess fat can place more pressure on your abdomen, restricting the diaphragm’s ideal movement. Besides this, it can also cause other respiratory issues like asthma.
Cancer
Having more belly fat increases your risks of developing cancer over time, that’s because non-cancerous cells can turn into tumors caused by a fat protein present in a person’s belly. When you have more ‘abdominal fat’ than average, it encourages the release of the carcinogenic proteins more, increasing your chances of developing cancerous or malignant tumors.
Preventing Belly Fat
Although having belly fat is normal, it’s best to keep it to a minimum to reduce your risks of developing chronic conditions. Here’s how you can prevent or reduce belly fat naturally.
- Go Natural
Processed foods may taste great, but they’re generally unhealthy as most don’t provide any ‘real’ nutritional value. Plus, packaged foods are full of trans fat, sugar, and sodium—all guaranteed to increase belly fat. That’s why it’s best to stay organic and add more whole foods to your diet.
- Stay Active
Staying physically active is a great way to fight off belly fat, and the best part about this is that you can do whatever physical activity you want to shed off the pounds, making it more fun. It’s ideal if you do any physical activity for 15 minutes to an hour every week to truly feel the ‘burn’ or if you’re committed to losing your belly fat, 5 hours can provide you with more health benefits.
Belly fat is sneaky. It’s tucked away inside your body, and often it’s not noticeable, giving you a false sense of security of how healthy you really are. Remember, even if you’re severely overweight, that doesn’t mean you don’t have any health issues, so it’s best to keep it to a minimum to live a more productive, healthier, and fat-free lifestyle.
