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Belly Fat:
Where Does Race Fit Into it?
By Gifty Kwakye
January 6, 2010

There has been much talk in popular media and health blogs about how to attain the proverbial “six-pack” flat abs. Many companies have created and widely advertised pills or exercise equipments that promise to help you instantly loose and trim your body with very little effort on your part. Most of these fail to produce the results they claim despite the myriad of people in television ads that attest to their miracle-working capabilities.

Recently, Mayo Clinic, one of the leading medical institutions in the United States, released information on the subject of “belly fat.” The information provided below is largely based on their recommendations. 

Belly fat
Fig 2: Visceral and Subcutaneous Fat
For several reasons, as we age, our body fat has an interesting way of accumulating around our midsection instead of around our arms, buttocks or thighs as it previously used to. The result then becomes the dreaded bulging tummy often referred to as “love handles,” “pot belly,” “spare tire” or “the doughnut.” Studies suggest that factors such as hormonal changes (e.g. during menopause), genetics, stress and normal aging accompanied by the slowing down of metabolic rate) account for this re-distribution of fat tissues. Also, habits such as overeating and excessive beer consumption can contribute to a wider waist line.

New research, according to a Wake Forest University news release, seems to suggest that race might also play a huge factor in one’s proclivity to excessive abdominal fat Women of black and Hispanic heritage between the ages of 20 and 29 are more likely to retain fat around their mid-section compared to women of other racial heritages.

Surprisingly, the fat we can tug at around our waist is only a fraction of that which is actually present in our abdomen snuggly wrapped around internal organs such as the heart, liver, stomach and intestines. It is this internal visceral fat that is most concerning due to a high correlation with heart diseases and diabetes. Interestingly, a recent research suggests that as women age, the amount of abdominal visceral fat alone is a better predictor of health risk than Body Mass Index (BMI).

Interpreting your waist circumference
It is generally a good idea to calculate your BMI at least once a year to know how much of your weight has fluctuated over time and where you lie on the BMI spectrum in relation to obesity-associated health risks (the BMI chart is provided in Fig 3 below for reference.) Alongside this, keep a diary of your waist circumference which should be taken at least twice a year. You can do this on your own using a regular tape measure to take the length around your mid-section close to your navel. It is important not to hold your breath or tighten the tape around your waist while doing this in order to ensure accurate readings.

In table 1, the current cut-offs for waist circumferences are indicated for both men and women. People with values above these are at an increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, gallbladder disease and cancers of the breast and colorectal.