Belly, colloquially known as "belly fat" or clinically known as "Central Obesity"; is the accumulation of visceral fat resulting in an increase in waist size. It is also known as a "pot belly "or" beer belly " effect in which the abdomen protrudes excessively. This body shape is also known as "apple shaped".

The prevalence of apple shaped people is globally very common, In America, one in every three Americans are obese.  Not only affecting developed countries but also in developing countries like south Asia obesity and central obesity is common problem. Generally, because of lack of awareness, it is considered as normal. Some people may consider it as a reflection of prosperity. Sometime it is misperceived as being healthful and nourishing. But all these beliefs are proved to be rumor or superstition by the fact that, Central obesity is associated with a statistical higher risk of heart disease, hypertension, insulin resistant and type-2 diabetes. Belly no more remains prosperity, it is source of disease.

The aim of this article is to encourage you to measure your belly. It also motivates you to know your risk of heart disease and others. As well as, it will help you to be beautiful and handsome by making you conscious. Nowadays, most of the people accepted that obesity is risk factor for many diseases but the problem is very few people know about the normal weight and measurements.

So, have you ever measured your belly or waist circumference? Here, we are not talking about size of your pant or other dress. The waist circumference is the smallest circumference below the rib cage and above the umbilicus. The absolute waist circumference (> 102cm (40inch) in men and > 88cm (35inch) in women) is considered central obesity. But targeting the South Asian Population, Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has suggested keeping our belly less than it. It considered central obesity if men has waist circumference more than 90 cm and in woman more than 80 cm. To go to a step ahead, we can also calculate waist hip ratio (>0.9 for men and >0.85 for women) is used as measure of central obesity.

At a mean time, let us know about ideal body weight. Usually belly fat is associated with overweight or obesity. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a scientific and commonly used method to assess body weight but it is little bit tricky and cumbersome. So, practically we can use simple formula to calculate ideal body weight. It is very simple. Measure your height in centimeter, then subtract hundred from it, the result is your ideal body weight. For example: Height in cm (193) - 100 = 93 (Ideal body weight). It is also known as a Broca Index.

Ok, now what about you? You may be happy with ideal body weight and normal belly or may be nervous with unwanted results. No need to be worry, every problem comes with solution. In humans central obesity is correlated with overeating and an inactive sedentary lifestyle. It is a condition with net energy imbalance that calorie intake is greater than calorie elimination. So, excess energy is deposited in the body as fat.

The safest and best way to prevent and reduce the central obesity is to make healthy changes in your lifestyle. Choose healthy foods and increase physical activity. This is the main way to reverse the condition.

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Avoid fatty foods. Avoid too much alcohol. Slightly decrease your carbohydrate (sugar, rice, wheat, corn etc) consumption. Make your breakfast larger and dinner the smallest for the day. Dine out two hours before bedtime. Have a good sleep. Prefer natural home made foods to refined tinned canned food, which is expensive not only to your pocket but also to heart and belly. Prefer white meats like chicken or fish to red meats like mutton, buff, pork etc.

Performing adequate aerobic exercise can reverse the condition. There is a common misconception that spot exercises like sit-ups, crunches and other abdominal exercise most effectively burns fat at the desired location; but this is not effective in this case. Exercise should be dynamic, regular, at least half and hour, for more or equal to five days a week. Don't forget to do warm up and a cool down before and after exercise respectively. Set a realistic goal during exercise.

Finally; all the best; hope, you will measure your belly and assess your risk. Don't forget to work on other risk factors of heart disease like smoking, high cholesterol, hypertension etc. Act today. Be a part of awareness and prevention of heart disease.

The article is contributed by Samjhana Shakya.

References:

1. www.wikipedia.org/index/abdominal_obesity.
2. Yusuf S, Hawken S , Ounpuu S; etal , effects of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with myocardial infarction in 52 countries (the INTERHEART study , 2004), Lancet , 364:937-52.
3. Jaussen I, Katzmarzyk PT, Ross R (2004) , waist circumference adn not body mass indes explains onesity related health risk , AMJ Clin. Nutr. 79(3):379-84.
4. www.aha.org/index/heart attack-coronary heart disease-metabolic syndrome risk assessment.
5. www.myoclinic.com.org/index/obesity.
6. http://www.dietmag.org/tag/broca-index/

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