Why is my belly getting so big?

Taking in too many calories can cause weight gain, but a protruding or pronounced belly can also be the result of hormones, bloating, or other factors.

healthline.com - Belly Bulge Types and What You Can Do to Treat Them - Healthline

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Taking in too many calories can cause weight gain, but a protruding or pronounced belly can also be the result of hormones, bloating , or other factors. Not all belly bulges are the result of excess fat or weight gain. Even if weight gain is the cause, there’s no quick fix or way to lose weight from one specific part of your body.

Bloating

Bloating is the feeling of pressure or swelling in the stomach. The most common causes are trapped gas or eating too much in a short time. The sensation of bloating can cause abdominal distention, which is a visible swelling or extension of your belly. Distention happens when the sensation of being bloated triggers your brain to react by moving your diaphragm down and relaxing your abdominal wall muscles. Along with gassiness and eating too much, other common causes of bloating include: Stress is a natural response to a perceived threat. When you’re faced with a threat, a combination of nerve and hormonal signals tells your adrenal glands to release adrenaline, cortisol, and other stress hormones. Stress is usually short-lived, and your body returns to normal. When faced with ongoing stress, your body remains in this state. There is evidence that chronic stress increases abdominal fat and cravings for foods that cause abdominal obesity.

Post-pregnancy belly

Your body goes through a number of changes during pregnancy, and a growing belly is the most obvious one. Even though you lose about 13 pounds when you give birth, it’s likely that you gained more than that during your pregnancy. Your belly bulge may also be the result of fluid retention or abdominal separation (diastasis recti). Abdominal separation may occur during or after pregnancy. It happens when your growing uterus causes the two long muscles that run parallel in your abdomen to separate from each other.

Menopausal hormonal belly bulge

What weight is considered chubby?

BMI categories Below 18.5 Underweight 18.5–24.9 Healthy 25–29.9 Overweight 30 and above Obese

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Weight gain is a common effect of menopause. The hormonal changes that contribute to weight gain actually begin during perimenopause, a few years before menopause. Menopausal weight gain primarily affects the abdomen. Factors that contribute to belly fat at this stage of life include:

fluctuations in hormones such as estrogen

insulin resistance

decreased muscle mass

sleep deprivation

Beer belly

Though studies haven’t found a link between beer and belly girth, there are reasons why drinking beer might give you a big belly. The more you drink, the more calories you consume, which could contribute to weight gain. Beer is made with hops, and hops contain phytoestrogens, which are plant compounds that have similar effects to the female sex hormone estrogen. Though it hasn’t been proven, there is speculation that the phytoestrogens in beer change the way your body stores belly fat.

Food intolerance

Food intolerance, which is not to be confused with food allergy, is difficulty in digesting certain foods. It is also called food sensitivity. It’s become much more common in recent years and affects up to an estimated 20 percent of the world’s population. Food intolerance can cause bloating after you eat certain foods. Along with the sensation of bloating and a distended abdomen, you might have other symptoms like gas, stomach pain, and diarrhea.

Dairy, gluten, and caffeine are common food intolerances.

Common weight gain

Though weight gain can be spread throughout your body, some people are more prone to gaining belly weight than others. Weight gain is usually the result of consuming more calories than you burn through regular bodily functions and physical activity. Sleep deprivation and stress have also been linked to overeating and weight gain.

healthline.com - Belly Bulge Types and What You Can Do to Treat Them - Healthline

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