Genetics

If you're like many fit women, you have done exercise so hard, but your belly fat seems to stick around no matter how well you eat or how hard you sweat. In this case, genetics is a big factor.

"You can inherit abdominal-fat-risk gene variations from your mother or your father or from both", says epidemiology professor Lu Qi, M.D., Ph.D., the director of the Tulane University Obesity Research Center. The chance of getting obese is significantly influenced by genes. The tendency to store fat in the abdomen as compared to other parts of the body also appears to be controlled in part by genetics. Interestingly, recent research has begun to identify specific genes linked to obesity. Leptin, a hormone involved in hunger control and weight management, is one hormone that release and action may be influenced by specific genes. Although promising, much more study in this area is required.