To be as succinct as possible, beer bellies are and are not a direct result of too much beer.

Despite the common ”beer belly” moniker, excess belly flab is not always caused by swigging too many pints of liquid bread. Beer, at around 140 calories per 12-ounce bottle, is high in calories and frequent imbibing can result in the extra calories that lead to a distended waistline. So, in this case, there is a link. However, like fat that appears in other areas of the body, it has more to do with how many overall calories you consume versus how many you’re burning through regular exercise. Your body can’t tell the difference between beer-related calories and extra calories from any other food. So, the answer is also, no.

Why is fat deposited in the belly?

Calories certainly hold part of the answer, but so does age: metabolism slows down after the age of 35, so you may find that the further the calendar advances, the more trouble you have keeping a trim figure. Another part of the reason has to do with your gender. While most women tend to keep their extra flab on their hips, thighs and buttocks, men commonly store fat around the waist. So combine your age and gender with an excess of calories, and the result can be a charming pot belly.

Is belly fat a health risk?

Not only is it an unattractive accessory, belly fat -- or visceral fat -- is now getting extra attention as one of the riskiest kinds of extra flab a person can sport. People with excess belly fat have a tendency to develop nasty conditions such as insulin resistance, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and high cholesterol over and above the already increased risk a person receives from other forms of obesity.