What diseases are people with a big belly prone to

People with large stomachs are prone to metabolic syndrome, fatty liver, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and sleep apnea syndrome. The accumulation of abdominal fat is closely related to the increase of visceral fat, which may lead to various chronic diseases.

1. Metabolic Syndrome

Abdominal obesity is one of the core indicators of metabolic syndrome, manifested as excessive waist circumference combined with elevated blood pressure, abnormal blood sugar, or dyslipidemia. Inflammatory factors secreted by visceral fat can interfere with insulin signaling, leading to disturbances in glucose and lipid metabolism. Typical symptoms include postprandial drowsiness and changes in the skin's melanocytic texture. Diagnosis should be confirmed through waist measurement and blood tests. Daily intake of refined carbohydrates should be controlled and aerobic exercise should be increased.

2. Fatty liver

When visceral fat accumulates excessively, free fatty acids will continue to be transported to the liver, exceeding the liver's metabolic capacity and forming non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. In the early stage, it may only present as dull pain in the right rib area, and in the advanced stage, weakness and tenderness in the liver area may occur. Ultrasound examination shows enhanced echoes in the liver parenchyma. In severe cases, liver protective drugs such as polyene phosphatidylcholine should be taken, and strict abstinence from alcohol and control of fructose intake should be maintained.

Type 3 and 2 diabetes

Resistin secreted by abdominal adipocytes will reduce insulin sensitivity, and long-term compensatory secretion of pancreatic β cells will eventually lead to functional failure. Typical symptoms include frequent drinking and frequent urination, difficulty in wound healing, and a diagnosis of fasting blood glucose exceeding 7 millimoles per liter. In addition to using hypoglycemic drugs such as metformin, it is recommended to adopt a Mediterranean diet and maintain brisk walking for at least half an hour every day.

4. Cardiovascular disease

Angiotensinogen released from visceral adipose tissue will promote atherosclerosis and increase the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. Common symptoms include chest tightness after physical activity and intermittent difficulty breathing at night. Carotid ultrasound can detect intimal thickening, and regular monitoring of low-density lipoprotein levels is necessary. In addition to necessary statin therapy, special attention should be paid to controlling the intake of trans fatty acids.

5. Sleep apnea

The accumulation of fat in the neck and abdominal cavity can compress the upper respiratory tract, causing repeated episodes of breathing pauses during sleep. The main symptoms are interrupted snoring at night, daytime sleepiness, and multi-channel sleep monitoring showing more than 5 episodes of respiratory pauses per hour. Moderate to severe patients require continuous positive pressure ventilation treatment, and should avoid sleeping in a supine position and control their dinner intake in daily life.

It is recommended that individuals with abdominal obesity measure their waist to hip ratio every three months, with males not exceeding 0.9 and females not exceeding 0.85. Increase the proportion of whole grains and dark vegetables in diet, and use steaming instead of frying for cooking. In terms of exercise, it is recommended to engage in aerobic exercises such as swimming and cycling that have less pressure on the knee joints, with a cumulative exercise time of no less than 150 minutes per week. Individuals with snoring symptoms should undergo a sleep quality assessment, and if diagnosed with sleep apnea, timely intervention is necessary to prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents.