By Patrick Gerenge
It seems beer drinkers across the globe have a tendency to grow bellies, especially as they get older, and especially if they are men.
It’s not necessarily beer, but too many calories that can turn your trim waistline into a belly that protrudes over the pants. Any kind of calories whether from alcohol, sugary beverages, or oversized portions of food can increase belly fat. However, alcohol does seem to have a particular association with fat in the midsection.
In general, alcohol intake is associated with bigger waists, because when you drink alcohol, the liver burns alcohol instead of fat. Beer also gets the blame because alcohol calories are so easy to overdo. a typical beer has 150 calories—and if you down several in one sitting, you can end up with serious calorie overload.
And don’t forget calories from the foods you wash down with those beers. Alcohol can increase your appetite. Further, when you’re drinking beer at a bar or party, the food on hand is often fattening fare like pizza, chicken wings, and other fried foods. Party food is “sweet” food.
Beer-bellies tend to be more prominent in older people because as you get older, your calorie needs go down, you often become less active, and gaining weight gets easier.
As hormone levels decline in men and women as they age, they’re more likely to store fat around the middle.
The health risks
Apart from not looking the part aesthetically, it’s linked to a variety of health problems, from type2 diabetes to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
The writer is a lifestyle and wellness consultant