Advertisement

6 things you should know about belly fat

Carrying extra pounds around your midsection? Here's how a few simple tweaks can help you address belly fat.

Updated on February 1, 2023

senior couple jogging outside
1 / 7

You can carry extra weight just about anywhere on your body. But when it’s located around your waist, it may have some particularly serious consequences for your health. Deep belly fat is called visceral fat. It produces proteins and hormones that can lead to higher levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), aka “bad” cholesterol, as well as high blood sugar, blood pressure,Show More

spoonful of lentils
2 / 7
Your Diet Matters, Naturally

The type of food you eat affects the amount of belly fat on your body. A 2020 review published in BMC Cardiovascular Disorders looked at studies involving people who were overweight or had obesity and found they could measurably reduce their body weight by eating whole grains.

You can, too. ReplaceShow More

mature couple on a hike
3 / 7
Sitting Promotes Belly Fat

Belly fat tends to amass when you spend excess time sitting. To help lose this weight, it’s wise to get up and move. Shoot for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week. Aerobic exercise such as walking, jogging, swimming, orShow More

doing sit ups in the living room
4 / 7
Don't Rely on Crunches Alone

Crunches can firm up the muscles under your belly and keep your core strong, and that's important for many reasons. But they won't make fat magically vanish. For that, you need regular aerobic exercise, such as walking.

using the remote
5 / 7
Limiting TV Is a Wise Idea

Watching a lot of television—which can contribute to a sedentary lifestyle—has been linked to a higher likelihood of being overweight or obese. In a 2019 study published in BMC Public Health, participants who were considered already inactive increased their body fat percentage by 1 percent forShow More

worried woman with a headache
6 / 7
You Really Can Blame Your Boss or In-Laws

For many people, high stress levels can lead to weight gain. Stress increases the hormone cortisol, which makes you crave high-calorie snacks that get stored in your belly as fat. But you may not have to quit your job or avoid your family to ease your anxiety. Learning techniques to tame yourShow More

measuring tape
7 / 7
Measure In Inches and Pounds

Track your weight using both a scale and a tape measure. A scale will help you keep tabs on your total weight, including pounds lost or gained. Knowing your waist circumference can help you gauge your visceral fat and disease risk. When you measure, make sure you exhale and place the tape midwayShow More

Slideshow sources open slideshow sources

Johns Hopkins Medicine. The Skinny on Visceral Fat. May 2012.
American Heart Association. Too much belly fat, even for people with a healthy BMI, raises heart risks. April 22, 2021. 
R de Mutsert, K Gast, et al. Associations of Abdominal Subcutaneous and Visceral Fat with Insulin Resistance and Secretion Differ Between Men and Women: The Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity Study. Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders. 2018;16(1):54-63.
Wang W, Li J, Chen X, et al. Whole grain food diet slightly reduces cardiovascular risks in obese/overweight adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2020;20(1):82.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd Edition. Page last reviewed February 1, 2019.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Television Watching and “Sit Time.” Accessed February 1, 2023.
Suminski RR, Patterson F, Perkett M, et al. The association between television viewing time and percent body fat in adults varies as a function of physical activity and sex. BMC Public Health. 2019;19(1):736.
Tomiyama AJ. Stress and Obesity. Annu Rev Psychol. 2019;70:703-718. 
Moss RH, Conner M, O'Connor DB. Exploring the effects of daily hassles and uplifts on eating behaviour in young adults: The role of daily cortisol levels. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2021;129:105231. 
Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Assessing Your Weight. Page last reviewed June 3, 2022.
NHS.uk. Why is my waist size important? Page last reviewed September 24, 2019.
Harvard Health Publishing. Taking aim at belly fat. Page last updated April 21, 2021.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Assessing your weight. Page last reviewed June 3, 2022.

More On

What are the benefits of low-fat dairy products?

video

What are the benefits of low-fat dairy products?
Low-fat dairy products are a healthy addition to the diet, especially for weight loss, because they contain calcium and fat, which actually helps burn...
The perfect snack for weight control

article

The perfect snack for weight control
Want to stay faithful to your diet or lose more weight? Eat a handful of nuts when you get the munchies. Despite their high fat and calorie count, nu...
8 easy cooking hacks for weight loss

slideshow

8 easy cooking hacks for weight loss
Lose weight (without sacrificing flavor) with these simple food swaps.
How Can Squash Help Me Lose Weight?

video

How Can Squash Help Me Lose Weight?
Certain foods are weight-loss superstars. In this video, nutritional researcher and author Joel Fuhrman, MD, explains why squash has a spot on that li...
What is the paleo (or caveman) diet?

video

What is the paleo (or caveman) diet?
The Paleo (or caveman) diet is based on foods that our hunter/gatherer ancestors ate: lean meats, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats and see...