How to determine the cause of overweight by the shape of the abdomen? Answered by a doctor

toxicologist, Candidate of Medical Sciences.

“The features of a person’s appearance also depend on nutrition and the presence of physical activity – appearance changes in different conditions. There are general concepts of abdominal obesity in the form of an apple and in the form of a pear. Both are dangerous in terms of metabolic and vascular disorders.”

How to identify the cause of overweight by the shape of the abdomen

Men

Apple-shaped obesity is characteristic of men (abdominal obesity) – most often fat accumulates in the abdominal organs. This can be associated with higher levels of insulin and blood glucose, as well as an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Women

In women, fat is deposited in the lower abdomen and hips, and a pear shape (gynecoid obesity) results. It can be caused by hormonal changes such as increased estrogen levels, increasing the risk of joint problems and venous insufficiency.

There is a third type of obesity – mixed obesity, when fat accumulates both in the abdomen, hips and buttocks. This is influenced by a combination of different factors: genetics, lifestyle and diet.

How to fight it

Doctor of nutritionist, gastroenterologist, candidate of medical sciences, clinical pharmacologist

“The visceral (brown) fat is the most difficult to leave. It accumulates in the abdominal area and around the internal organs, gives the abdomen a rounded shape and creates the effect of a “beer belly”. It differs from subcutaneous fat, which is under the skin, in that it surrounds internal organs and can be linked to a variety of diseases and health risks.”

The most dangerous health risk of obesity is abdominal (or visceral) obesity. This is when really the abdomen looks like a balloon, like an apple. In women it is more than 80 cm waist (in the abdominal area), in men – 90 cm. It is not possible to fight it with physical exercises alone, you need complex work.

For such patients we recommend a carbohydrate-free diet, excluding all simple sugars. We also strictly limit the number of meals (three, maximum four meals) to monitor and prevent insulin spikes.

In addition, we add daily exercise, stabilize sleep, drinking regime, correct the intestinal microbiota. This is the only way to correct not only body weight, but also the quality of health.

If a woman’s fat is not deposited on the abdomen, but is present only on the buttocks and legs, we can say that this is a fairly safe phenomenon. So is the distribution of fat mass evenly over the body.

Of course, no one needs extra weight, but if its set is not associated with endocrine disruptions and stress, everything can be easily corrected.