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Belly fat is extremely unhealthy. This is risk factor for diseases like metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer and the possible causes of belly fat is listed below.

What foods causes belly fat?

Sugary Foods and Beverages
Many people take in more sugar every day than they realize.

High-sugar foods include cakes and candies, along with so-called “healthier” choices like muffins and frozen yogurt. Soda, flavored coffee drinks and sweet tea are among the most popular sugar-sweetened beverages.

Too much sugar in any form may lead to weight gain, sugar-sweetened beverages may be especially problematic. Sodas and other sweet drinks make it easy to consume large doses of sugar in a very short period of time.

Alcohol
Alcohol can have both healthful and harmful effects. When consumed in moderate amounts, especially as red wine, it may lower your risk of heart attacks and strokes.

However, high alcohol intake may lead to inflammation, liver disease and other health problems.

Some studies have shown that alcohol suppresses fat burning and that excess calories from alcohol are partly stored as belly fat — hence the term “beer belly”.

Studies have linked high alcohol intake to weight gain around the middle. One study found that men who consumed more than three drinks per day were 80% more likely to have excess belly fat than men who consumed less alcohol.

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Inactivity

Inactive (too much sitting down) lifestyle is one of the biggest risk factors for poor health.

Over the past few decades, people have generally become less active. This has likely played a role in the rising rates of obesity, including abdominal obesity.

Low-Protein Diets

Getting adequate dietary protein is one of the most important factors in preventing weight gain.

High-protein diets make you feel full and satisfied, increase your metabolic rate and lead to a spontaneous reduction in calorie intake.

In contrast, low protein intake may cause you to gain belly fat over the long term.

Several large observational studies suggest that people who consume the highest amount of protein are the least likely to have excess belly fat.

Fruit Juice

Fruit juice is a sugary beverage in disguise.

Even unsweetened 100% fruit juice contains a lot of sugar.

In fact, 8 oz (250 ml) of apple juice and cola each contain 24 grams of sugar. The same amount of grape juice packs a whopping 32 grams of sugar.

Although fruit juice provides some vitamins and minerals, the fructose it contains can drive insulin resistance and promote belly fat gain.

Menopause

Gaining belly fat during menopause is extremely common.

At puberty, the hormone estrogen signals the body to begin storing fat on the hips and thighs in preparation for a potential pregnancy. This subcutaneous fat isn’t harmful, although it can be extremely difficult to lose in some cases.

Menopause officially occurs one year after a woman has her last menstrual period.

Around this time, her estrogen levels drop dramatically, causing fat to be stored in the abdomen, rather than on the hips and thighs.

Some women gain more belly fat at this time than others. This may partly be due to genetics, as well as the age at which menopause starts.

Stress and Cortisol

Cortisol is a hormone that’s essential for survival.

It’s produced by the adrenal glands and is known as a “stress hormone” because it helps your body to mount a stress response.

Unfortunately, it can lead to weight gain when produced in excess, especially in the abdominal region.

In many people, stress drives overeating. But instead of the excess calories being stored as fat all over the body, cortisol promotes fat storage in the belly.

Interestingly, women who have large waists in proportion to their hips have been found to secrete more cortisol when stressed

Low-Fiber Diets

Fiber is incredibly important for good health and controlling your weight.

Some types of fiber can help you feel full, stabilize hunger hormones and reduce calorie absorption from food.

In an observational study of 1,114 men and women, soluble fiber intake was associated with reduced abdominal fat. For each 10-gram increase in soluble fiber there was a 3.7% decrease in belly fat accumulation.

Diets high in refined carbs and low in fiber appear to have the opposite effect on appetite and weight gain, including increases in belly fat.

Genetics

Genes play a major role in obesity risk.

Similarly, it appears that the tendency to store fat in the abdomen is partly influenced by genetics.

This includes the gene for the receptor that regulates cortisol and the gene that codes for the leptin receptor, which regulates calorie intake and weight

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