6 things you should know about belly fat

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, and triglycerides. It's also a player in insulin resistance and inflammation.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. With a few simple changes to your lifestyle, you can lose pounds, trim your midsection, and boost your overall well-being.

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. Replace refined grains such as breakfast cereal with satisfying whole grains like brown rice and oatmeal. Make them part of an overall nutritious diet that includes lots of fruit, veggies, and lean protein, and minimizes sugar, salt, and unhealthy saturated 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, or biking are good options. Remember to exercise at an up-tempo speed, rather than a window-shopping speed.

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.

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 for every additional hour of TV they viewed each week. So, even if you’re not very active, reducing your TV time may slow down weight gain.

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 your response to stress can go a long way towards a healthier you.

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 midway between your hips and the bottom of your ribs. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, your waistline may be putting you at risk if you’re a male and it’s more than 40 inches around, or you're a female and it’s more than 35 inches. Your waistline measurement is just a flag, and it’s best to check with your healthcare provider to get a full exam.

And keep in mind that everybody’s weight tends to fluctuate a little from day to day, so your numbers may differ slightly each time you measure, even if you haven’t gained or lost anything.