The term “diabetic belly” is usually used to describe the stomach area of a person with diabetes. As the body of a person with diabetes ages, it can develop excess fat and cellulite in this area.
Why Do Diabetics Have A Large Belly?
There are many contributing factors to this, but one of the main ones is poor blood circulation. The most common cause of blood flow problems in the abdomen area is high blood sugar, which can cause complications in small blood vessels and capillaries.
Poor blood flow means tissues cannot get the oxygen they need and are deprived of vital nutrients. This lack of nutrition leads to increased inflammation, swelling, and a higher risk for organ damage and disease.
Diabetic bellies occur in both men and women; however, it is more commonly found in women due to the hormone estrogen, which promotes fat storage. Additionally, the male hormone testosterone may protect men from developing this type of abdominal fat.
As we age (both men and women), our natural metabolism slows down which increases our risk for weight gain regardless of whether or not we have diabetes. The good news is that as we age we become more aware of our bodies and lifestyles, meaning that we are more likely to make healthy choices leading to weight loss as well as an overall healthier physique.
Types of belly fat
There are two main types of belly fat: subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous fat is the stuff you want to get rid of. It’s the stuff that pokes out, an inch or so under your skin. It’s the stuff you can grab with your hand and pinch. It’s diet- and exercise-friendly, being located just under the skin so it can be reduced by both.
Visceral fat, also called intra-abdominal fat, is much deeper in the body—it’s actually inside your abdominal cavity, surrounding your organs. This is the dangerous type of fat that doctors are talking about when they warn you to stay away from it!
Visceral fat is the stuff that makes a stomach look pot-bellied or beer-gutted, jiggly, and bulging instead of firm and flat. Intra-abdominal fat is produced by excess calories in your body. If a person has a lot of visceral fat, they’re more likely to suffer from health conditions like heart disease and diabetes than someone with normal levels of visceral fat.
The difference between a diabetic belly and a regular belly
If you’re noticing a bulge around your middle, it could be a sign of prediabetes or diabetes. But there are other weight-related conditions that can cause a belly to be bigger than the rest of your body.
A “diabetic” belly is different from a regular belly. While both types of bellies are usually found in overweight or obese people, the two types have some major differences:
A diabetic belly is caused by fat deposits that surround the organs in the abdomen. A regular belly isn’t just fat — it also contains muscle, organs, and other tissues.
The size of your diabetic belly may increase over time as more fat is deposited into it, but it’s not necessarily permanent. A regular belly can go away with weight loss because it’s made up of tissue instead of just fat deposits.
The causes of diabetic belly
This is a common problem for people with diabetes. The medical term for the diabetic belly is abdominal adiposity or central obesity.
Diabetic belly can be caused by many other factors, including:
📌High-carbohydrate diet
📌High-sodium diet
📌Not enough exercise
📌Lack of sleep
📌Poor stress management
The symptoms of diabetic belly
The symptoms of the diabetic belly are very similar to those of other types of obesity. The main symptom is the presence of fat around the waistline. This fat is often referred to as visceral fat, which has been linked to a higher risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
The most obvious sign that someone has a diabetic belly is when they have a potbelly or belly fat. This is caused by visceral fat stored around their stomach area. Visceral fat can also be seen around the hips, buttocks, and thighs in some people who have a large amount of insulin resistance.
The treatment of diabetic belly
The treatment of diabetic belly depends on the cause. If you have diabetes, then the best treatment would be to control your blood sugar level. In this case, you will need to check your blood sugar level regularly and follow a healthy diet. This can help reduce fat deposits in your belly.
The treatment of diabetes also includes taking insulin shots or using an insulin pump. These are two other ways to control your blood sugar level. However, these methods are not always successful in preventing diabetic bellies because they don’t address the root cause of the problem.
If you have type 2 diabetes, then losing weight is one of the best ways to prevent your diabetic belly from getting worse over time. This is because people who are overweight tend to develop type 2 diabetes as well as other health problems due to their body mass index (BMI).
