Researchers looked at several genes related to stress hormones in fat tissue from women's bellies. They found that only one specific gene (11β-HSD1) in the omental fat was linked to belly fat obesity in women, even after accounting for other factors that might affect the results.

In women who have fat stored around their internal organs (visceral obesity), the fat tissue produces more of a specific enzyme and hormone related to stress compared to women without this type of fat buildup.

Scientists found that the activity of a specific gene (11β-HSD1) in belly fat can help predict how much belly fat a woman has, even after accounting for her total body fat, age, and whether she's gone through menopause.

In Chinese adults, people with higher levels of a specific enzyme (11beta-HSD1) in their belly fat tend to also have higher body weight, as measured by BMI.

In women, higher levels of a specific enzyme (11β-HSD1) in fat tissue are linked to having more body fat, especially around the belly.

In fat tissue from Chinese adults, higher levels of a specific receptor that responds to stress hormones are linked to higher levels of a receptor that triggers inflammation. They're connected in a way that when one goes up, the other tends to go up too.