We all know that being overweight isn’t healthy, but did you know that having a big belly hurts your body in specific ways? That big belly isn’t just unsightly, but unhealthy and harmful.
Hormonal issues
A big belly hurts you by making you more prone to a few health issues. One is hormonal issues. Abdominal fat acts like an endocrine gland or organ, meaning it produces hormones like leptin which affects appetite. It also affects adiponectin which is a hormone that influences how cells respond to insulin. Insulin insensitivity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can cause heart disease, kidney disease, nerve damage and blindness.
That big belly can also be a major contributing factor for stroke
A study done showed that study participants with a high waist to hip ratio, your waist measurement divided by your hip measurement, had a seven-times greater risk of stroke. Participants with the highest amounts of abdominal fat were the most likely to suffer a stroke.
Abdominal weight causes stress on the body
Then there is the effect of abdominal weight on how your body feels. If you’re not sure what I mean, ask a heavily pregnant woman how her body feels. The weight from the baby around her abdomen can be painful. That weight, no matter how it gets there, causes stresses on the body. Aching joints are one problem. The excess weight makes your knees, hips and ankle joints hurt. Over the long term it can mean a need for hip or knee replacement.
A big belly can also give you back problems. Excess weight on the front of your body means that your back over arches. This can cause problems with the spine and musculature surrounding it.
Your best bet is to get rid of that belly weight and take that stress from your body.
