Doctors say you may notice beer bellies more on men because of the way they wear their clothes, but beer bellies can affect both sexes.

A good night's sleep can be one of the first things to go if you're fat around the middle.

Doctors say a gigantic gut, more kindly known as "central or abdominal fat" is also associated with high blood pressure, high blood sugar, higher risk of stroke and an increased risk of dementia.

And that protruding stomach slows your ability to burn calories, so fat just gets stored.

Men tend to store fat in the stomach, while women are likely to store fat in their hips.

Cardiologist Perry Weinstock says measure your waist to know if you're at risk.

But do it the right way and not too low on the waist.

Dr. Weinstock says beer gets all the blame for big bellies, but he says any food or drink high in carbohydrates will do the same thing.