Why does the belly get fat first? Reasons why the belly is prone to obesity

Most people will find that their stomachs gain weight first when they gain weight. This is because the abdomen is the part of the body where fat is most easily accumulated. If fat grows rapidly due to overeating or life stress, it is easy to gain weight around the waist and abdomen. Especially as we age, fat is more likely to grow.

Why is this "stress fat" more likely to accumulate in your abdomen than in other parts of your body? It turns out that the high level of cortisone caused by stress acts as a "carrier" of fat. It affects the release of an enzyme that is responsible for storing fat in cells deep in the abdomen, so "pressure fat" is particularly related to the lower abdomen.

Reasons why the belly is easy to gain weight

Fat is primarily stored in the abdomen because fat in the abdomen is easier to convert into immediate calories needed by the human body than fat elsewhere. Instant calories are what the body needs when it is put into a state of "stress drive" by the effects of various hormones such as cortisone. However, our "urgent start" is often like climbing two flights of stairs, rather than strenuous exercise like running 1000 meters. In this way, the fat in the abdomen will not be consumed, but will grow like a "life buoy" in the abdomen.

The "lifebuoy" effect is not limited to obese women. Thin women can also suffer from unwanted abdominal fat due to higher cortisone levels. For thin women, the accumulation of fat around the waist and abdomen is a sign that they are extremely sensitive to stress. For overweight women, waist and abdominal obesity may be caused by various factors, and the effect of cortisone is only one of them.

Why is the fat in the waist?

1. Race affects fat formation

In China, most of the gay men who gain weight have two thin legs under a thriving beer belly, like big "apples"; while in Western countries, they are more like "pears".

In an update on the pathophysiology of obesity published in 2013, it was determined that Asians are more likely to accumulate deep subcutaneous fat and visceral fat than whites and blacks, who have a higher proportion of superficial subcutaneous fat, which is why Asians are more likely to form an "apple" shape. As for the specific mechanism, there are many different opinions and no consensus has been reached. One of the most frequently cited theories is that although there is no fixed order for the formation of the three types of fat, excess heat always gives priority to forming superficial subcutaneous fat. The superficial subcutaneous fat of Asians has a poor ability to "absorb" heat, and is forced to use deep subcutaneous fat and visceral fat as early as possible, so more "apples" will appear.

2. Gender also matters

In addition, gender is also a factor that cannot be ignored. Men are more likely to form an "apple" shape than women.

In life, there is sometimes a saying that "the waist gets fat first", which may be due to the visual effect caused by the apple-shaped body.