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"Beer" belly threatens osteoporosis
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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As it turns out, a "beer" belly not only spoils men's appearance, but also negatively affects their health. This is the conclusion reached by American scientists from the Harvard Medical College.
The study was presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. Miriam Bredella, an assistant professor of radiology and lead author of the study, says men need to be aware of the dangers of excess belly fat. Not only does the belly fat increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease, it also puts bone health at risk.
"The concentration of visceral fat in the abdominal area is a factor in the increased risk of developing skeletal diseases," the researchers say.
According to data provided by the US National Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there are about a million men in the United States over the age of 20 who are overweight or obese. Being overweight is associated with a number of health conditions, such as hypertension, sleep apnea, asthma, and high cholesterol. However, obesity and bone damage have not been linked before, and most studies have looked at osteoporosis as a risk factor for women.
Fat deposits have differences. There is a big difference between subcutaneous fat and visceral fat, which is located under muscle tissue and around vital organs. The amount of visceral fat depends on heredity, nutrition and physical activity of a person. Due to the large amount of fat that surrounds the organs, health is at risk.
A team of scientists conducted research involving 35 men aged 34, whose average body weight was 36.5. To assess the level of fat and muscle mass, the volunteers underwent an examination, which also included a bone tissue assessment program.
As it turned out, men with a high concentration of visceral fat, in particular belly fat, had almost half the strength of bones and were less resistant to stress.