Excess belly fat is a common problem for many women. Clinically known as visceral fat, excess belly fat increases your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer. While poor diet and physical inactivity are contributing factors, others include hormonal changes, age, stress and hereditary factors. You can generally reduce belly fat through a combination of aerobic exercise, healthy diet and targeted strengthening abdominal exercises.
Heredity
Heredity is a culprit when it comes to women and belly fat. 2012 study
published in the journal "Diabetes" found that women are more
sensitive than men to an enzyme triggered by Vitamin A, found in dietary fat.
The enzyme induces a release of hormones that promote fat storage in women more
than men. A 2010 study published in the "Journal of Obesity" pointed
to hereditary factors as responsible for the development of excess belly fat in
some women. Based on your genetic makeup, you may have simply inherited a
predisposition for accumulating fat in your abdominal area. While you can
reduce belly fat through aerobic exercise and tone your abdominal muscles with
targeted strengthening exercises, you may simply be fighting nature if you have
an inherited tendency for gaining fat in your belly area and you expect to
develop a perfectly flat stomach.
Aging
As you age, your body's production of the
hormone dehydroepiandrosterone, otherwise known as DHEA, begins to decline.
According to Harvard Women's Health Watch, some studies have linked this
decline with an increase in the accumulation of abdominal fat, although other
studies have shown no link at all. While the results of DHEA's effect on belly
fat are still inconclusive, some health practitioners believe that
supplementation of DHEA can lead to a reduction in abdominal fat. Additionally,
as you age, your metabolism begins to slow down, which can be another possible
age-related cause of excess belly fat.
Stress
According to a 2000 study by Elissa S. Epel, Ph.D., and fellow Yale
University researchers, women who are more prone to stress yet otherwise
healthy and not overweight are more likely to have excess belly fat. This study
showed that certain women are more susceptible to the effects of the stress
hormone cortisol, which is responsible for the accumulation of fat around your
organs and the development of excessive amounts of abdominal fat.
Hormonal Changes
Hormonal changes associated with menopause are another common culprit
behind excess belly fat. According to Yale University, menopause causes a
decrease in the production of the sex hormones such as estrogen, leading to the
development of increased abdominal fat. Additionally, menopause leads to a
shift in the location where your body stores fat, changing from being stored in
your arms, legs and hips to your abdominal area.
