Belly fat loss is a great technique to reduce blood sugar and prevent or manage diabetes.
Rivera says decreasing abdominal fat "can help you control blood pressure, which is an independent cardiovascular risk factor."
The Heart medical journal reports that gaining weight in your midriff might raise your blood pressure.
Over six years, researchers tracked 10,000 participants' weight, blood pressure, and health.
Abdominal fat increased to 62% for women and 30% for males after 6 years.
Male participants who reduced their belly by 2.5% throughout the test had a 19% lower chance of high blood pressure.