The Scale Isn’t Rising, But Your Belly Is Growing? Could It Be a Metabolic Disorder

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Have you ever felt that your weight remains seemingly ‘safe’, but your trousers are starting to feel tighter around the waist? Or that the number on the scales doesn’t rise much, but your waistline is increasingly hard to manage?

For many people, this condition is often considered normal as long as it hasn’t reached obesity. Yet focusing too much on the scale can overlook abdominal circumference, even though this condition can be an early signal of metabolic risk.

‘Many people think metabolic risk only occurs in people with overweight, but fat accumulation around the abdomen should be watched closely even if your weight looks normal. Fat in this area is linked to higher risk of metabolic disorders such as high blood sugar, cholesterol, hypertension, and fatty liver,’ Dr. Shiela Stefani of Mayapada Hospital Bandung said, quoted on Tuesday (19 May 2026).

‘Therefore, health evaluations should not rely solely on weight but also consider waist circumference and the distribution of body fat across the body.’

Metabolic disorders and fatty liver often develop slowly with no clear symptoms in the early stages. Many people only realise it after health check results show changes in the body.

In such cases, simple changes such as a gradually expanding waist and pants feeling tighter around the abdomen, even if weight doesn’t change much, can be early signals of health risks. Therefore measuring waist circumference can be a simple step to help detect metabolic risk early.

However, attention should not stop at that number alone. Waist circumference should also be considered alongside other factors such as blood glucose, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, diet, physical activity, and overall body composition.

To help the public understand metabolic conditions and liver health more comprehensively, Mayapada Hospital Bandung has the Liver and Metabolic Wellness Center (LMWC), providing comprehensive care for liver health, metabolic disorders, and weight management, with a focus on early risk detection such as obesity, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, and metabolic syndrome.

LMWC is supported by a multidisciplinary medical team and modern facilities such as non-invasive FibroScan elastography to check liver health, as well as Total Body Matrix Assessment (TBMA) for evaluating body composition and metabolic indicators. This service is part of the Gastrohepatology Center, a comprehensive service for treating various digestive tract disorders available at Mayapada Hospital units across Jakarta Selatan (Lebak Bulus and Kuningan Rasuna Said), Tangerang, Bogor, Surabaya, and Bandung, and will soon be available in East Jakarta.

Full information about heart services at all Mayapada Hospital units can be found in the Health Articles and Tips feature on MyCare, as well as the Personal Health feature connected with Google Fit and Health Access to monitor heart rate, calories, steps, and Body Mass Index (BMI).