The Dangers Of Belly Fat

In Africa, especially in Nigeria, having a big tummy was once thought to be " evidence of good living". But now, health researchers have come to established the fact that belly fat (which in most cases is the cause of big tummy) is a dangerous health condition.The notches on your belt tell the tale: If your waistline has gained girth, you've got more than friendly padding. You've got too much belly fat, and that's a serious health issue.
Doctors have a catchy term for that too-familiar round belly -- the "apple" shape. If your fat has settled on the buttocks and thighs, you're a "pear" shape. Don't get sidetracked with the cutesy names, however. Belly fat (aka visceral fat) is serious business.
"A big waistline puts you at increased risk for many health problems -- diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke," says Robert Eckel, MD, president of the American Heart Association.
Even skinny people can have unhealthy "hidden" belly fat. Research shows that fat may be folded deep inside the belly around the stomach organs, visible only by CT or MRI imaging. This fat puts people at the same health risks as someone with more obvious big girth, researchers say.

Belly fat doesn't just lay idle at your beltline. Researchers describe it as an active "organ" in your body -- one that churns out hormones and inflammatory substances.
"Abdominal fat is thought to break down easily into fatty acids, which flow directly into the liver and into muscle," says Lewis Kuller, MD, DPH, professor and past chair of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health.
When these excess fatty acids drain into the liver, they trigger a chain reaction of changes -- increasing the production of LDL 'bad' cholesterol and triglycerides. During this time insulin can also become less effective in controlling blood sugar, so insulin resistance sets in, he explains.
Blood sugars start to get out of balance. Fats and clots get into the bloodstream, and that sets the stage for diabetes, heart disease, and more.
And research shows that abdominal fat triggers a change in angiotensin, a hormone that controls blood vessel constriction -- increasing the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack, Kuller explains.
Indeed, belly fat is a key indicator of "metabolic syndrome," a cluster of abnormalities that include high levels of blood sugar, blood pressure, and triglycerides, as well as low levels of "good" HDL cholesterol. This combination of risks has an impact on mortality from heart disease.

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