Why You Must Lose Belly Fat: Will It Harm Your Heart? Find Out

Is your belly fat giving you sleepless nights? Belly fat is not a joke and should be taken seriously by all. Losing belly fat can be a daunting and challenging task and requires patience and effort. Belly fat not only affects your personality but can be a huge risk to your health as well. Belly fat is probably the most dangerous place to carry excess fat. The fact that it is closer to our organs, it is more dangerous than carrying fat in other areas of the body, such as the arms, hips or legs. Fat around the belly can lead to poor health outcomes like diabetes, strokes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer. Fat in and around our bellies is made up of both subcutaneous fat and visceral fat, which is deep into our abdomens. Excess intake of calories, processed food, refined sugar, unhealthy fats, excessive consumption of alcohol and no physical exercise can lead to stubborn belly fat. 

Losing belly fat can be a daunting and challenging task and requires patience and effort.
Photo Credit: iStock

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Learn why belly fat is risky and should be reduced right now:

1. Cardiovascular diseases:

Heart disease is probably the most serious consequence of having that fat around your belly. Visceral fat can be dangerous because these fat cells pump out cytokines into the body. Cytokines are chemicals that affect the cells' ability to regulate insulin and blood pressure. When our bodies cannot regulate organ function, the heart takes a hit. Having these cytokines floating around is linked to several heart diseases like strokes and attacks. People who have belly fat are at a significantly higher risk of developing heart diseases than people who maintain a healthy weight.

Heart disease is probably the most serious consequence of having that fat around your belly.
Photo Credit: iStock

2. Diabetes:

High blood sugar levels or diabetes is a chronic condition which is now reaching epidemic proportions. The primary reason of high blood sugar levels is overweight and unhealthy eating habits. Excess fat in the body might put you at higher risk for diabetes. Being overweight or obese a can lead to high blood sugar levels as it can affect the way our organs work. Therefore, keeping a constant check on your weight is extremely important.

Excess fat in the body might put you at higher risk for diabetes.
Photo Credit: iStock

Also read: Belly Fat: 6 Foods That Will Help You Burn Belly Fat

3. Sleep apnea:

People who are overweight or have fat around their bellies are at an increased risk for sleep apnea. Sleep apnea causes you to actually stop breathing for a few seconds. The result is a night full of snoring, waking up, and still feeling restless and exhausted. In cases of sleep apnea you feel tired and drowsy even after full night's sleep. Shedding those extra pounds can improve or even cure sleep apnea.

4. High blood pressure:

High blood pressure or hypertension is the top life-taking lifestyle disease. Also known as the silent killer the disease can be caused by unhealthy lifestyle and your body weight. Thus, it becomes important for us to maintain a healthy body weight and get rid of that belly fat if you have any.

5. Alzheimer's disease:

The fat around belly and certain mental health issues like Alzheimer's disease are strongly related to each other. That stubborn belly fat can increase a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Therefore it is necessary for you to start taking effective measures to get rid of that belly fat. 

Also read: Unhealthy Belly Fat: 6 Diseases Which Could Give You Unhealthy Belly Fat

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.