Perils of a pot belly

Carrying extra fat around the tummy poses a serious health risk. This excess weight, termed as visceral fat, enhances the likelihood of contracting dreaded diseases such as type 2 diabetes. A pot bellied person is also more vulnerable to heart diseases.

The hazardous nature of visceral fat is related to the discharge of proteins and hormones that can cause swelling and soreness. This inflammation can harm arteries and has the ability to enter the liver and adversely affect how the body breaks down sugars and fats.

Indicating how important the size of the waist is, David Haslam, chairman of the National Obesity Forum in the UK, says, “Waist circumference is the best predictor of risk of future health.”

Surprisingly, nine in 10 people are not even conscious of the risks of carrying that additional fat around their waistline.

“Most overweight people still see themselves as having a body image issue not a health problem and they need to understand the health benefits of weight loss as well as the cosmetic results,” claims Dr Terry Maguire, honorary senior lecturer at Queen’s University in Belfast.