• krayj@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    Visceral fat can cause this (especially in men), but it’s usually a side-effect of being overweight and it sounds like you describe yourself as looking ‘malnourished’. https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-is-visceral-fat

    There is at least one type of malnutrition, “Kwashiorkor”, caused by protein deficiency that can cause something like this also. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23099-kwashiorkor

    But, disclaimer, I am not a doctor, so best advice is to get checked out by your healthcare provider.

      • krayj@sh.itjust.works
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        1 year ago

        Visceral fat builds up slowly over time (years) and the changes can be very subtle and unnoticeable until one day you just notice it.

        For Kwashiorkor - I really don’t know. It’s just something I’d heard of before, so I found a link to a description and dropped the reference. There are probably lots of other things it could be that I just haven’t heard about.

        I, personally, am affected by visceral fat and have been taking steps to lose it and that process is also very slow going, so I currently look like an average guy, but with a pronounced belly. It makes me look like shit in a t-shirt and has caused me to suffer from high blood pressure.

        • Nindelofocho@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Im in the process of loosing weight and starting to notice that I have this. Is there something else other than just normal diet and exercise that helps?

          • krayj@sh.itjust.works
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            1 year ago

            I’m not aware of anything proven other than diet & exercise. There are a few trending weight-loss drugs hitting the market right now, but from what I’ve seen they are expensive and come with their own side effects…so for me, it’s just doing it the proven old-fashioned way: diet & exercise.