Beer belly
A beer belly or beer gut is a physical human trait characterised by a horizontal overhang of fat above the waist, with little apparent fat on the rest of the body. Although it is not solely caused by the consumption of beer, it is a contributing factor. The beer belly is usually associated with men (women tend to store excess fat in other areas such as the hips and buttocks). A lack of muscle tone in the abdominal muscles contributes to the appearance of the beer belly, with the overhang often increasing with age.
The primary calorie-bearing constitutents of beer are alcohol and sugars; beer has no fat and very little protein content. Light beers and low-alcohol beers carry fewer calories than other beers. Even heavier beers carry fewer calories per glass than (say) sugared cola drinks. However, in many subcultures beer drinkers consume high-calorie junk food -- such as potato chips -- alongside beer.
For more information on fat, see the entry on obesity.
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