Stomach fat is considered unsightly for both sexes. However, the formation of stomach fat requires varying amounts of effort depending on the age and sex of the individual. Culture and perception can also play a major role in how detrimental stomach fat is to physical attractiveness.

Men and women gain weight in different ways. From muscle mass allocation to the areas where fat is collected and stored, the builds of the male and female body are drastically different. Accounting for these changes is necessary before determining if stomach fat is excessive.

Stomach fat accumulates more prominently in men. When a man becomes overweight, his excess weight is most likely to accumulate in the stomach, followed by the waist, thighs, and chest. This leads to a large number of overweight men targeting their abdomen in order to lose weight.

Women gain collect excess fat in different areas of the body. As women gain excess weight, the fat collects in the buttocks, waist, and breasts. Stomach fat is usually a secondary area when excess fat gathers on the female body.

Of course, these are only generalities. Genetics can be a major indicator of where excess fat will gather and store itself within the body. In many cases, women are genetically predisposed to stomach fat as a primary area for fat storage. Men can sometimes, albeit more rarely, gain weight in the buttocks, back, or shoulders before excess stomach fat begins to form.

Age plays a role in stomach fat collection. As men age past the age of 40, their natural metabolism slows and the hormonal balance of the body changes. Where excess fat either did not exist or gathered in other areas, sudden stomach fat gain can be a major part of aging. Fighting stomach fat is a major priority for many aging men.

Women also face increased stomach fat gain as their age. While the early 40s are also a period when fat collection can change, menopause is usually the time when stomach fat begins to set in. It is during this time that women begin to reconsider their options when scaling back their abdominal area.

Both men and women can benefit greatly by taking on diet changes and a physical fitness regime. Losing stomach fat should be part of an overall weight loss strategy. Men and women, both young and old, can succeed inc combating the formation of excess stomach fat.