Over the years, most Sri Lankans, both men and women, like in most other affluent countries, have gained excessive weight in adulthood, well exemplified by the protuberant abdomens, nicknamed - Pot-bellies. During the Second World War such problems were not common, may be due to the scarcity of food, more walking, and harder work, during those stressful times.

Today, better living standards, air-conditioning, and improved life styles, more accessibility to convenient hot foods, pastry shops, regular eating out in restaurants, and sedentary lifestyles, all have contributed to this problem. These hot foods affect their ability to maintain weight.

High fat foods contain more calories per serving than other foods and may increase the likelihood of weight gain. However, even when people eat less high-fat food, they still can gain weight from eating too-much of foods high in starch, and sugars, or proteins.

We as a nation are dependant on foods cooked with rice and wheat flour, in addition to eating rice per se. It is an observation, those foods acquire dependency with time, with a tendency to serve more and more at each meal, one of the factors that push your belly forward.

The main concern on being over weight or obese, is the increased risks for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain types of cancer, arthritis, dermatitis, breathing problems, other illnesses, and the inconvenience of performing day to day activities.. Obesity is considered a disease- not a moral failing. According to a 1995 report from the Institute of Medicine in US, "obesity is a heterogeneous disease in which genetic, environmental, psychological, and other factors are involved. Therefore, most adults should not gain weight. If you are overweight and have one of these problems, you should try to lose weight, or at least not gain weight.

Pot bellies among men and women have become the normal contour today. Such people are not concerned, or not shameful about their abnormal shapes anymore, as that seem to be the trend, and gluttony has overcome health consciousness. They are ignorant of the health risks, especially co relation between heart disease and increase in belly size. In men, the ratio between the girths at the umbilical level and the hips should be 0.95:1, whilst women it should be 0.8:1. Every inch you add on at the waist-line, doubles the risk of heart disease.

How could those shapely flat stomachs of teenagers become gradually protuberant and unshapely with age? Men, invariably ends up with an orange shaped belly whilst women end up with a pear shape belly.

One factor is over-eating. The other important factor is the lack of time, or not finding time daily for exercise. If these could be overcome, the rest falls in line.

Religious significance and aesthetic acceptance Is there a religious or spiritual significance in depicting deities and others with pot-bellies? For instance, the son of Shiva, Ganesha, with face like that of an elephant, is represented as a pot-bellied deity.

He was appointed chief of the ganas (attendants) or lord of hosts by his father Lord Shiva.

The legend relates that Parvati created him from the scurf of her body, so that he could act as her door-guardian. When Shiva tried to enter the room, when Parvati had gone to take her bath clad in single clothing, Ganesha or Ganapati prevented him from doing so. Enraged at this obstruction, Shiva cut off his head, but in order to placate Parvati, he offered to replace it with that of an elephant. He (Shiva) also gave him a pot-belly to make him ugly. To those who explain his appearance symbolically, his pot belly contains the whole universe.

In Egyptian mythology, Atenhaten, is portrayed as an odd looking, eccentric pharaoh‘ who is suppose to have erected statues of himself all around the kingdom.

The images of Atenhaten show a thin –boned male with a huge, protuberant belly, soft flesh, and a full lipped sensuous face.

Let’s take a look at our own Sigiri Upsaras, painted on the west-wall of the rock. These frescoes too, demonstrate aesthetically pleasing minor protuberant bellies.

So, spiritually and aesthetically pot bellied figures were considered norm of the day, though it is shunned by modern societies. Once taken to be a sign of health and prosperity, a large stomach is now seen as a symbol of laziness, gluttony and a lack of self control. As said before, a large stomach always is the result of overindulgence and lack of exercise. Or are there other things you need to know if you’re going to win the battle of the bulge?

Contrary to popular opinion, a large belly does not necessarily come from an excess of fat. An overabundance of air, intestinal gas, a hollow back, a hypertrophied organ, or even the process of aging itself are just as often to blame. So, before embarking on your own battle of the bulge, you have to know your enemy.

Let’s discuss the anatomical variations of the fat distribution in the two sexes. Knowledge of this is important from a therapeutic point of view.

As mentioned earlier, the "pot-belly" in man is in the shape of an orange, and that of a pear in a woman.

Figure 1 shows the profile view of the male abdomen. You will notice that most of the fat collection is in the omentum, which is an apron-like structure attached to the greater curvature of the stomach, whilst the fat distribution under the skin, which is normally removable through "lipo-suction" procedure, is minimal. This condition is referred to as ‘omental lipo-dystrophy’.

These subjects are not suitable for liposuction, or any other form of elective procedure. Crash course dieting, abstaining from alcohol, and regular exercise are the only options for these unfortunates.

Figure 2 reveals the diagrammatic profile of the female belly. Luck is with them, as the excessive fat distribution is directly under the skin. (Sub dermal lipo-dystrophy), and can be comfortably removed by lipo-suction, or by abdomino-plasty elective procedure (tummy tuck)

In most women gluttony is not the main reason for the bulging belly, but due to repeated pregnancies causing excessive stretching of the skin, and di-varication of the recti abdominis muscles.

These are two symmetrical muscles giving frontline protection to the belly, extending from the rib margin above, to the pubis below. Weakening of these muscles opens the belly into a large ventral bulge, referred to as a hernia. Surgical intervention is required for such cases. The most suitable procedure would be ‘abdominoplasty’ operation.

Age is also a major concern in developing a pot belly. However cautious one is the rectus muscles and other abdominal wall muscles tend to bulge forward due to shortening, or approximation of the costal (rib) and iliac (hip) margins. Dehydration of the spinal discs and osteoporosis of the vertebrae are the conditions that produce the shortening of the spine, resulting in this specific reduction of the gap.

Balance the food you eat with physical activity.

In order to stay at the same body weight, people must balance the amount of calories in the foods and drinks they consume with the amount of calories the body uses. Physical activity is an important way to use food energy. Most Sri Lankans spend much of their working day in activities that require little energy. In addition the younger generation now spends a lot of leisure time each day being inactive, for example, watching television or working at a computer.

Another scourge for the young generation today is the time spent in getting private tuition in almost all subjects in private homes of teachers, or in their own respective homes, time they should be engaged in sports activities. Also these unfortunate students travel in vans to attend the so called better schools in the bigger cities, spending most of their precious time in traveling. Most kids survive during the school going days on oven baked hot food from Pastry Shops. These foods are browned, and the acryl amide content is high. FDA in US, has warned the public, about the dangers of eating these foods. Acryl amide is a chemical produced when carbohydrates are cooked at high temperatures for long periods.

Trials on animal studies have proved that this chemical is carcinogenic- meaning liable to cause cancer.

There are currently over 200 different abdominal exercises. These exercises can make a real difference to the way you look Ensure when you do ab exercise that you support your back as much as possible throughout. There is no easy route to a firm stomach- you are going to have to work.

A series of exercises are shown with diagrams, for the beginners to tighten the abdominal muscles. Each exercise must be performed slowly with 10 repeats. For more exercise programs, please surf internet website; www.netfit.co.uk

These programs must be done daily, quite seriously to attain that dream torso.

If ladies have a problem of performing these exercises, there is a short cut. The hanging protuberant fat belly can be completely removed surgically, with the excess of stretched skin. Also the surgeon will tighten your muscles, and relocate your naval to the correct level.

Excess fat in the belly and loins can also be removed through liposuction. This procedure will suit those ladies not having a stretched over hanging skin, and the muscles are not too flaccid.

Remember – increasing in size of the belly due to obesity increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and hypertension.

So why wait, get up and start exercising.