A bulging waistline is often seen as a consequence of ageing. This is particularly true for women, as body fat tends to be concentrated around the abdomen, especially after menopause.
Benjamin Njihia, a laparoscopic surgeon at Avenue Healthcare in Nairobi, says that weight gain, especially around the abdomen, is the most difficult to get rid of. Reason?
"It acts as a protective mechanism and covers the internal organs," he tells Lifestyle.
So why do women accumulate belly fat?
According to Dr Njihia, there are two types of fat around the abdomen: subcutaneous fat, which is found just under the skin, and visceral fat, which is found around the internal organs. Visceral fat, which surrounds organs such as the liver and intestines, is brought on by poor diet, metabolic conditions, and hormones.
"Women tend to have more subcutaneous fat than men, especially in areas such as the hips and thighs, due to hormonal factors such as oestrogen. However, visceral fat is more closely linked to factors such as poor diet, lack of exercise, and metabolic problems such as insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome, regardless of gender," explains Dr Njihia.
Hormones influence: Women often gain weight around the abdomen due to hormonal changes, particularly oestrogen. During the reproductive years, oestrogen plays a key role in the distribution of fat to the hips and thighs. But as oestrogen levels decline, especially around menopause, fat tends to accumulate around the abdomen.
"Fat distribution is determined by our hormones. Just by virtue of having more oestrogen, women will have more fat distributed around the hips and waist. It helps protect the pregnancy when they conceive," he says.
A protective mechanism: Fat stored around the abdomen protects internal organs and the body tends to retain it as a last resort, making it difficult to lose.
"We use a lot of fat around the organs, like covering the liver. So while you can see that women have more subcutaneous fat compared to men, the amount of visceral fat around the organs depends more on your diet and metabolic state than on your gender," says Dr Njihia.
Metabolism and age: As women age, their metabolism naturally slows down, making it easier to gain weight, especially around the middle.
Stress and cortisol: Excessive stress can affect both your mental well-being and your weight. Stress causes the body to release cortisol, a hormone that can make you crave high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods such as pizza, chips and biscuits. Cortisol also contributes to the accumulation of fat around the abdomen. Stress can also lead to weight gain by disrupting sleep patterns. People who sleep fewer hours tend to have more belly fat.
Gut bacteria: Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria. Some of these live in harmony with you and help your body digest food. Others break down food so effectively that your body absorbs more calories and stores more energy in the form of fat. Some research suggests that probiotics, found in fermented foods such as yoghurt, may help reduce belly fat. These friendly bacteria will not replace the need to cut calories, but they may help.
Regardless of a person's overall weight, storing fat, especially subcutaneous fat in women, can be beneficial for reproductive health. However, Dr Njihia notes that excess visceral fat can lead to health risks, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Dr Njihia suggests that understanding certain factors can help manage or prevent abdominal weight gain through healthy lifestyle choices, such as a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management and hormonal health.
If you are struggling with the extra pounds around the belly, he says, focus on lifestyle habits that promote overall health and specifically target the factors that contribute to the accumulation of abdominal fat.
"This will also help you reduce the risk of conditions such as heart disease and diabetes," he says.
