The Real Deal behind Beer Bellies

Posted by Tomy | Posted in , , , | Posted on 8:41 PM


I’m back to writing about important topics in the society! So in this post, it will be all about beer bellies. That’s right.
A beer belly is a colloquial term used for abdominal obesity, an accumulation of abdominal fats that result to an excessive protuberance of the abdomen. Yeah, beer belly is simply a bloated stomach. It’s fittingly called that way, because it is believed to be obtained from too much consumption of beer.
Usually, a beer belly is what many people use to identify people who drink too much alcohol. They use it to judge them (i.e. Euw, gross), or make them think about quitting alcohol (i.e. Stop drinking, if you don’t want that belly to get bigger!). Well, for starters, a beer belly is a pretty serious indication that you’ve been doing something wrong with you body, and that lessening those unholy gulps from the beer mug might probably help.
But is beer belly really caused by too much beer? Does that name even give justice to the ginormous size of a beer belly?  
Photo taken here
A study conducted in 2003 by researchers in Britain revealed that there’s no link between the amount of beer consumed and the size of the drinkers’ stomachs. The study was conducted among Czechs, who are world-renowned for being heavy beer drinkers. The scientists came out with this conclusion: “The relation between beer and obesity, if it exists, is probably weak.”
Hurrah! Let’s drink to that! Not.
The 2003-study ended up with a negative result, but a separate investigation conducted in 2004 by The Centre for Alcohol Research in Denmark proved that binge drinking causes beer belly. Binge drinking is when you consume a large amount of alcohol (this time, not just beer per se) in a short period of time, say a week. Professor Morton Gronbeck from the research center said, “We have some indication that people who are binge-drinking are more frequently apple-shaped.”
Now what exactly is being apple-shaped?
Photo taken here
An apple-shaped body is one where fats are more concentrated around the middle area of the body. It is when your belly, chest, (pubes), and other muscles at the central part of your body are fatter than your limbs (euw, gross). Gronbeck said that people with this figure are at higher risks of contracting fatal diseases like diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and hypertension.
Bale, binge drinking will kill you.
Gronbeck (this name is very bothering) also said that a few intake, like 2 units (IDK how much that is) of alcohol every day may have a positive effect on coronary heart disease. But only if you’re 40 years old or older. Also, drinking about 10 drinks for two days in a week will prove disadvantageous, as it will lead you to the mentioned diseases in the future.
Back to beer bellies! The most accepted reason for beer bellies is overeating, especially when one spends more time eating than actually using the energy he/she gets from that. A sedentary lifestyle (such as mine), or having irregular or no physical activity is also accounted for being potbellied.
The bottom line is that beer belly isn’t totally an appropriate name. Neither is it completely wrong. Maybe, we should all drink moderately so that this won’t be a matter of concern for people who drink (just for people who overeats). Look at me, I don’t drink anymore! I’ve been sober for like two weeks already. LOL.
Go on with your beer, though. I don’t care what happens to you in the future anyway.
(Source) (Source)
Unfathomable

Comments (2)

  1. tomato cafe Said...

    "Go on with your beer, though. I don’t care what happens to you in the future anyway." - yes, thank you very much. haha.

    Posted on: February 25, 2011 4:11 PM
  2. Tomy Said...

    Haha. You are most welcome.

    Posted on: February 27, 2011 9:56 PM

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