Most cases of increased belly size are caused by fat. But medical conditions like ascites can also be culprits.
There are several reasons why a person's abdominal area can appear bulgy. In some cases, it can be due to the accumulation of fat around the abdominal area, while in other cases, it can be caused by health conditions like ascites.
Like belly fat, ascites can cause a larger or more protruding abdomen, so it might be hard to differentiate between them. However, in most cases, people can tell when their increased belly fat is a symptom of an underlying health condition like ascites because other symptoms will most often accompany the bulgy belly.
Ascites is a condition in which fluid builds up in the abdomen and is commonly caused by severe liver disease.
Ascites and belly fat can both cause an increase in abdominal size, but their causes are different. Furthermore, while belly fat is more common and often harmless, ascites is less common and can lead to life-threatening complications, especially if left untreated.
How can you tell the difference between ascites and belly fat?
This article will cover the key differences between ascites and belly fat, their causes, and treatments.
Ascites is a medical condition where fluid builds up in the peritoneal cavity, a space in the abdominal area that contains the stomach, intestines, and liver. The organs in your abdomen, like the stomach, kidney, liver, and bowels, are covered by the peritoneum. The peritoneum is a thin tissue that has two layers. As seen in ascites, a buildup of fluid between the layers can cause a bulgy belly.
On the other hand, belly fat is used to describe the accumulation of fat in the abdominal area, which is usually contributed by a lack of exercise, a poor diet, and stress.
Ascites often occur in people with health conditions like cirrhosis of the liver (scarring of the liver due to long-term damage). It is the most common complication associated with liver cirrhosis or chronic liver disease.
Ascites occur in cirrhosis when the blood pressure in the portal vein increases excessively. The portal vein is a blood vessel that delivers blood from the digestive organs to the liver. As the pressure in this blood vessel increases, fluid builds up in it and starts leaking into the peritoneal cavity. This buildup is because liver cirrhosis makes the liver hard and shrunken, thereby resisting blood flow to the liver from the portal vein.
This will cause a large amount of blood to remain in the blood vessels that supply the liver and digestive system.
Increased blood retention in the blood vessels that supply the liver and digestive system means a reduction in the amount of blood circulating to those areas. The kidney will interpret it as a reduced blood volume that needs to be increased, so it will cause the body to start retaining salt and water. The excess fluid retained leaks into the peritoneum, causing a swollen abdomen.
However, while this is the primary cause of ascites, there are other possible causes or risk factors for ascites, such as:
Belly fats are fat deposits around the abdomen. There are two types: subcutaneous and visceral. Visceral fat is deeper in the abdominal cavity and surrounds the organs. Subcutaneous fat is right under the skin. While subcutaneous fat is often not a cause for concern in terms of health, visceral fat has been linked to health conditions such as stroke, heart disease, and diabetes.
According to a recent 2020 study, nearly half of the world's adult population (41.5%) has central obesity—excess visceral fat around the abdominal area.
Different things can cause or contribute to belly fat, including:
Some people have little, or no control over their belly size as some cases of belly fat have genetic predispositions, i.e., they run in the family. Furthermore, for some people, surgical procedures such as a hysterectomy can increase their chances of developing belly fat.
Ascites | Belly fat | |
---|---|---|
Ascites is caused by an accumulation of abdominal fluid. | Belly fat is caused by excess fat around your abdomen. | |
Ascites are caused by health conditions like liver problems, kidney disease, surgery complications, and infections. | Belly fat is caused by factors like excess calories in your meals, poor lifestyle choices, and too much stress. | |
A doctor can diagnose ascites with the help of tests like CT scans and ultrasounds. They may notice the presence of a fluid wave in the process. | To diagnose belly fat, skinfold calipers can be used. It will show the amount of fat that is under the skin of the belly. | |
The symptoms of ascites are a swollen and hard belly, along with increased girth and body weight. | The symptoms of belly fat are a soft belly that often has rolls, an increased girth, and increased body weight. | |
You can treat ascites by reducing or restricting your intake of sodium. Diuretics can also work to eliminate the excess accumulated fluid. | You can treat your belly fat by making changes to your diet and lifestyle, such as exercising and getting better quality sleep. | |
Ascites can cause life-threatening complications, like an increased risk of infection of the peritoneum and sometimes fluid buildup in the lungs. | Belly fat has been linked to a higher risk of diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension. |
Apart from having a distended and smooth appearance, you can differentiate ascites from belly fat from the symptoms you experience. Besides the accumulation of fat around the belly area, belly fat often doesn't cause unpleasant symptoms. Ascites, on the other hand, have a wide range of symptoms.
Healthcare professionals are in the best position to diagnose and treat health conditions like ascites. Your doctor can recommend diuretic medications like chlorothiazide, metolazone, indapamide, hydrochlorothiazide, torsemide, bumetanide, and triamterene. These medications, also known as "water pills," can help eliminate salt (sodium) and water from your body.
Your doctor can also remove some of the fluid using a slender needle if the ascites are affecting your breathing. This process is called paracentesis.
Also, dietary and lifestyle changes can help treat your condition, such as:
Speak with your doctor to suggest low-salt foods you can eat. Also, if you have to take salt, don't use salt substitutes that have potassium in them. Some medicines for ascites can cause potassium levels to rise.
To reduce your belly fat, you have to make some adjustments to your lifestyle and dietary habits.
You can do the following to reduce your belly fat:
People with health conditions like liver cirrhosis may experience a buildup of fluid in the abdomen, which would cause an increase in belly size. A person may mistake this for belly fat, but it's not. One feature that can distinguish belly fat from ascites is that in the former, the abdomen doesn't feel soft on touch; rather, it feels stiff and bloated.
Beyond an increase in size, if your belly feels distended or you experience other health symptoms like shortness of breath, swelling of your legs, or a sense of heaviness in your stomach, you should see your doctor.