If you’ve recently watched Avengers Endgame, you will definitely remember seeing for yourself the effects of heavy, chronic alcohol consumption in the form of a beer belly, medically known as abdominal obesity.

That’s right even the physiology of the God of Thunder isn’t safe from the effects of alcohol.

So, how does alcohol consumption lead to a beer belly?

The basic rule to weight gain is gaining weight through the creation of a caloric surplus. Once you consume more calories than needed, the unused excess energy will be converted into fat.

One gram of fat provides energy equivalent to nine calories while one gram of alcohol has 7.1 calories.

Usually, when our energy intake is sufficient or slightly above the required amount, our satiety centre will be stimulated, demotivating the further addition of energy.

However, several studies suggest that consuming alcohol before or during a meal does not influence the amount of food eaten during that meal, despite increasing the energy density of the meal.

As such, heavy drinking and binge drinking have been more consistently linked with fat formation compared to light-to-moderate alcohol intake.

Furthermore, beyond adding energy to a meal, alcohol may actually stimulate more food intake.

A review of 17 studies on alcohol, appetite and energy balance found that 10 showed increased food intake following alcohol consumption. Even when the presence of alcohol was disguised, studies found that it sill led to increased energy intake.

Alcohol may amplify an individual’s perception of appetite in response to food stimuli which can be explained through alcohol’s modifying effect on hormones linked to satiety and hunger.

For example, alcohol was found to inhibit the effect of Leptin, a hormone responsible for generating the sensation of satiety. Alcohol has also been found to inhibit fat oxidation (the breakdown of fats), suggesting that frequent alcohol consumption could lead to fat sparing, and thus higher body fat in the long term.

In other words, alcohol consumption removes the barriers which prevent us from overeating or eating beyond our caloric needs.

Coupled with the high energy content of alcohol, accumulation of fat cells amplifies in the body.

Alright, but why the abdomen?

Males and females have a different distribution and accumulation of fat cells. While initially, the pattern of fat storage is similar, puberty changes that.

Women have more subcutaneous fat (the kind under the skin) than men. Their fat tends to accumulate around the buttocks and thighs.

Because men have less subcutaneous fat, they store more around the midsection. Hence, for males, this excess energy from alcohol intake goes to the abdomen and gives rise to the infamous beer belly.

It is also worth noting that ageing contributes to the accumulation of fat simply because your metabolism slows down with age as does your hormone levels.

This article first appeared in hellodoktor.com and was reviewed by Dr Duyen Le. The Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.