What Are the Health Risks of Belly Fat?
Key takeaways:
It’s normal — and even healthy — to have some belly fat.
But if you have a lot of belly fat, it can put you at risk for health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Losing weight can help reduce your belly fat and potentially decrease your risk of health problems.
Your body fatness is just one part of your overall health. Other things matter too.
Table of contents
It’s totally normal to have fat on your belly. In fact, having some body fat can even be good for you. It keeps you warm, protects you from injuries, and can even provide your body with energy.
But having a lot of fat around your belly area can be hard on your health. That’s because having a high amount of stomach fat is linked to health problems. Let’s take a closer look at the different types of belly fat, what causes belly fat, and how it affects your health.
What is belly fat?
Simply put, belly fat is exactly what it sounds like: fat in your belly area. There are two main types of belly fat:
Subcutaneous fat: This is belly fat that lies just underneath your skin. You can feel it when you poke your stomach area with your finger. It wiggles and jiggles.
Visceral fat: This is belly fat that’s deep underneath your skin, nestled around the organs in your abdomen. Unlike subcutaneous fat, you can’t feel visceral fat with your hands. Visceral fat also plays a more “active” role in your body than subcutaneous fat, because it makes hormones and other molecules.
What causes belly fat — and why do we have it?
It’s hard to say what the reason is for belly fat. We don’t know for sure why some people are bigger and others are slimmer. After all, many things affect how you gain and lose weight — including weight in your belly area.
These factors include things you’re born with, like:
Age
Race and ethnicity
Genetics
Living healthy in a larger body. Here’s what you need to know about making healthy lifestyle choices, regardless of your body shape and size.
Is it normal to gain weight with age? Metabolism slows down as you get older, meaning it’s common to gain 1 lb or 2 lbs each year. Learn how to boost your metabolism as you age.
What’s the best way to measure body fat? Body mass index (BMI) is a commonly used tool, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best. Take a look at other tools that measure body fat.
Other factors stem from your environment and lifestyle:
Childhood experiences
Your living environment
Diet and exercise
Stress
Cultural and social factors
And health issues can affect your weight as well, such as:
Medical conditions
Gut microbiome
Read more like this
Explore these related articles, suggested for readers like you.
Can you prevent belly fat?
Yes and no. When it comes to gaining weight, there are some factors you can control — like what you eat and how much you exercise. Making changes in these areas might help prevent belly fat, especially as you get older.
But in reality, there are a lot of factors you can’t control when it comes to body weight. For example: If you’re South Asian, you may be more likely to have belly fat than someone who’s white. And overall, men seem to have more visceral fat than premenopausal women.
Is belly fat linked to health problems?
Yes, it can be. Remember: It’s totally normal to have some belly fat. But if you have too much, it can be hard on your health.
So, how much is too much? Well, it depends on your waist size. That’s because the more belly fat you have, the larger your waist size will be.
A large waist size is linked to many health problems, including:
Joint pain and back pain
Dementia
Cancer
When it comes to your long-term health, your waist size might matter more than your body mass index (BMI). For example, your BMI may be “normal” — and not in the range of overweight or obese. But if your waist size is large, you still have a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes.
How do I measure my waist size?
To find your waist size, take a tape measure or string and measure all the way around your waist (detailed instructions here).
A large waist size is:
More than 40 inches (102 cm) in men
More than 35 inches (88 cm) in women
But be aware: Just like BMI, these measurements don’t apply to everyone. For example, if you’re South Asian, Japanese, or Chinese, your diabetes risk goes up if your waist size is:
More than 35.4 inches (90cm) in men
More than 30.5 inches (80cm) in women
How do you lose belly fat?
The best way to get rid of belly fat is to lose weight. Unfortunately, you can’t target weight loss in just your belly area — that’s a myth.
In general, things that can help you lose weight include:
Focusing on nutritious foods
Being more physically active
Drinking water
Cutting down on sugary drinks
Eating more fiber
Getting enough good-quality sleep at night
Managing stress
The good news is these changes can benefit your health in many ways — beyond just your body shape and size.
But keep in mind: It can still be hard to lose weight, even if you make diet and lifestyle changes. If you’re having trouble meeting your goals, talk to a healthcare professional. They can discuss a reasonable weight loss target with you. And they can advise you on other options if appropriate (like surgery, or weight-loss medications).
Frequently asked questions
There’s no quick way to lose belly fat. Changing your body shape and size takes time. For sustainable weight loss, you should aim to lose no more than 2 lbs a week. Anything faster than that and you’re likely losing water and muscle — not fat.
It’s possible. Drinking alcohol can cause weight gain. It does this by slowing down your metabolism and adding extra calories. And there’s some evidence that people who drink a lot of alcohol may be more likely to gain visceral abdominal fat compared to non-drinkers.
There aren’t any specific “belly fat burning foods” that you can turn to. That’s a myth.
But if you’re trying to change your overall body weight, eating nutritious foods can help. Specifically, aim for lean proteins, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables. In particular, there’s some evidence that eating more protein and fiber and cutting back on refined carbohydrates can all help with weight loss.
It’s possible. During menopause, it’s common to experience weight gain, especially in the stomach area. There’s some evidence that menopausal hormone therapy (previously known as hormone replacement therapy) may help to prevent belly fat. More research is needed before we can say for sure.
The bottom line
When it comes to your health, waist size matters. That’s because the more belly fat you have, the bigger your waist size will be. Visceral fat (the type inside your abdomen) seems to be especially hard on your health.
It’s hard to say why some people gain belly fat more easily than others. There are some factors you can control, like alcohol use and exercise. But there are many other factors that you can’t change, like your genetics, age, or gender.
If you’re hoping to change your body shape and size, lifestyle changes can be a good place to start — especially since they come with other health benefits too. If you’re having trouble reaching your goals, consider reaching out to your primary care provider for support.
And no matter what you do, remember: Body fatness is just one part of your overall health.
Why trust our experts?
References
Darsini, D., et al. (2020). Health risks associated with high waist circumference: A systematic review. Journal of Public Health Research.
Julien, S. (2017). The health benefits of fat. American Association of Retired Persons.
Kazibwe, R., et al. (2023). Association between alcohol consumption and ectopic fat in the multi‐ethnic study of atherosclerosis. Journal of the American Heart Association.
LaMotte, S. (2018). Hormone replacement may fight belly fat, study says. CNN.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (n.d.). Classification of overweight and obesity by BMI, waist circumference, and associated disease risks.
Shah, A. D., et al. (2016). Less favorable body composition and adipokines in South Asians compared to other U.S. ethnic groups: Results from the MASALA and MESA studies. International Journal of Obesity.
World Health Organization. (2008). Waist circumference and waist-hip ratio: Report of a WHO expert consultation.
