Rapid weight gain in the abdominal area may be a symptom of more serious
underlying health concerns. The causes of rapid weight gain in the
abdominal region have been linked to factors such as stress, cortisol,
over-eating and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle among individuals.
This includes the fat inside (visceral) and outside (subcutaneous) the
abdominal wall. Abdominal fat has been linked to metabolic disturbances,
increased risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Understanding
causes of rapid weight gain can serve to control or perhaps reverse its
progression.Stress
Probably
the most significant modern day factor contributing to abdominal weight
gain is stress. According to the Mayo Clinic, stress causes our body to
produce significant amounts of cortisol that serves as an internal
fight-or-flight response mechanism. When this cortisol stays in the
bloodstream longer than necessary due to prolonged stress, it can become
toxic. An article on abdominal fat from Harvard Medical School says
that increased cortisol levels promote the accumulation of body fat.
Longer work weeks, inconsistent sleep patterns, social obligations,
driving and other common stressful activities can all contribute to an
ongoing production of cortisol that, if left unchecked, has a
tremendously negative impact on weight gain.
Over Eating
Another
cause of rapid abdominal weight gain is due to over-indulgence at meal
time. Americans are eating more than ever these days and thanks to fast
food, shady marketing and irresistibly tasty treats, knowing when to put
down that bag of chips is becoming a decision most would rather not
acknowledge. According to the National Federation of Personal Trainers
Sports Nutrition Manual, eating excess calories at one sitting or
constant snacking can cause insulin to spike hard and as a result, dump
any unused calories back into your bloodstream that will eventually get
stored as fat. Since the abdominal area is nature's storage tank, most
excess calories get stored there leading to rapid weight gain and an
unhealthy accumulation of fat inside and outside the abdominal cavity.
Inactivity
The
American Council on Exercise reports that a sedentary lifestyle is one
of the biggest factors in rapid fat accumulation for men and women.
Inactivity and the ingesting of surplus calories for days at a time act
as a double weight gain whammy. Without enough physical activity, the
extra calories people consume have nowhere else to go but into storage
and for most, as mentioned before, that storage area is the abdominal
region. Compound the previous factors having to do with added stress and
rapid abdominal weight gain is almost inevitable. Eating right,
exercising regularly and finding quiet time to relax and re-energize is
the best way to prevent unhealthy weight gain and keep your waistline
thin and trim.
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