Abdominal obesity may be a hidden risk factor for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar! Hong Kong Chinese Medicine professional analysis.

Updated: April 15, 2026

Date of writing: 2026-04-15

The World Health Organization has clearly pointed out that central obesity is more deadly than general obesity in damaging the body's metabolism and cardiovascular system. As a region with a high incidence of metabolic diseases, Hong Kong has more than 60% of its adult population with varying degrees of belly fat, but few people realize that a protruding belly is an external manifestation of imbalances in the body's Qi and blood, as well as dysfunction of the internal organs.

From meridian stagnation to internal phlegm and dampness, scientific conditioning can cure stubborn belly fat. In Hong Kong's fast-paced lifestyle, sitting in the office for long periods, consuming high-oil and high-salt takeout, frequent late-night milk tea, and irregular work and rest have become the daily routine for most people. The resulting abdominal obesity (central obesity) is no longer just a simple physical problem, but also a core factor inducing the "three highs" of high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and high blood sugar, and an important risk signal of metabolic syndrome.

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine's syndrome differentiation and treatment system, abdominal obesity is not simply "fat accumulation," but its core pathogenesis lies in...

Spleen and kidney yang deficiency, qi stagnation, internal accumulation of phlegm and dampness, and meridian obstruction.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that "the spleen governs transportation and transformation." Prolonged sitting and lack of movement lead to sluggish blood and qi circulation, impairing the spleen and stomach's digestive functions. The essence of food and water cannot be properly distributed, and pathological products such as turbid qi, dampness, and phlegm cannot be metabolized and eliminated in time, accumulating in the abdominal belt meridian and along the spleen and stomach meridians. Furthermore, Hong Kong's location in a humid and hot region exacerbates internal dampness due to external dampness invasion. Insufficient kidney yang fails to warm the spleen yang, further aggravating water metabolism disorders, ultimately forming a stubborn obese constitution characterized by "phlegm and dampness accumulation and meridian blockage," commonly known as "dampness obesity." This pathological state is highly correlated with the formation of the "three highs" (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia) in Western medicine.

Clinical data from Traditional Chinese Medicine show that people with abdominal obesity often have...

Liver Qi stagnation and blood stasis

The problem is that when the liver fails to regulate the flow of qi and blood, it leads to abnormal blood pressure, which corresponds to vasomotor dysfunction in Western medicine. Phlegm and phlegm accumulate in the blood vessels, causing blood stasis, which corresponds to abnormal blood lipid metabolism and elevated total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Deficiency of both spleen and kidney leads to insulin secretion disorders and insulin resistance, which in turn causes blood sugar metabolism disorders and eventually develops into type 2 diabetes.

It can be said that abdominal obesity is a precursor to the "three highs" (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol). Treating a large belly is to prevent the occurrence of the three highs and cardiovascular diseases from the root.

In response to the unique physique of abdominal obesity among the Hong Kong population, the Hin Ying Chinese Medicine team has been deeply involved in the field of Chinese medicine physiotherapy.

We have developed a cupping and abdominal massage therapy to promote qi circulation and unblock meridians. This therapy is based on the holistic view of traditional Chinese medicine, combining syndrome differentiation and treatment, meridian theory, and organ conditioning. It avoids harmful weight loss methods such as dieting and strenuous exercise, and achieves the triple effects of healthy belly slimming, body conditioning, and prevention of high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol.

This therapy follows the professional conditioning logic of Traditional Chinese Medicine throughout, and its core mechanism consists of three layers:

The first layer involves cupping to dredge the meridians, break up blood stasis, and disperse lumps.

Select core acupoints on the abdomen such as Tianshu, Zhongwan, Guanyuan, and Qihai, as well as related acupoints on the spleen and stomach meridians and the belt meridian. Use a combination of cupping, flash cupping, and moving cupping to unblock the abdominal meridians through negative pressure suction, break up meridian blockages, accelerate local blood circulation and lymphatic metabolism, resolve pathological products such as phlegm and dampness and blood stasis, improve the state of visceral fat accumulation, regulate the function of the spleen and stomach, and restore the spleen's digestive capacity.

The second layer involves pushing the abdomen to promote the flow of qi, eliminating fat and removing turbidity.

Professional abdominal massage performed by a registered Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner involves pressing, rubbing, pushing, grasping, and kneading along the meridians to regulate the flow of Qi in the body, promote the elimination of dampness and excess fat, and relieve problems such as intestinal stagnation, bloating, and constipation. At the same time, the massage stimulates the metabolism of abdominal fat cells, reducing the accumulation of visceral fat and providing precise local treatment for stubborn belly fat.

The third layer involves overall conditioning to balance Yin and Yang.

Based on the individual patient's constitution diagnosis, combined with traditional Chinese medicine conditioning and dietary health guidance, we nourish the spleen and kidneys, soothe the liver and regulate qi, and improve the phlegm-dampness constitution from the root to prevent fat rebound.

Compared to other passive fat reduction methods (such as fat-dissolving machines, liposuction, etc.), this therapy focuses more on the repair of organ function. It can not only reduce waist and abdominal circumference, but also effectively regulate blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar levels, and improve pre-hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, edema, and bloating.

Clinical data confirms that this therapy is suitable for various types of abdominal obesity:

1. Office workers who sit for long periods of time

2. Postpartum blood and qi deficiency leading to loose and obese abdomen

3. Visceral obesity caused by slowed metabolism in middle-aged and elderly people

4. Those who have repeatedly failed to lose weight through dieting and exercise

5. High risk of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia

6. Sub-healthy people

The entire treatment process is gentle and non-invasive, with no drug side effects, and no need for dieting or dietary restrictions. It meets the needs of Hong Kong people's fast-paced lifestyle, allowing them to lose belly fat while conditioning their bodies, and to maintain health and prevent disease at the same time.

In Hong Kong, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar, as well as abdominal obesity, have long been common urban diseases. Many people ignore the signs of a big belly and only pay attention when symptoms such as dizziness, chest tightness, and high blood sugar appear . By then, the damage to their internal organs is irreversible.

Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes "prevention of disease." When faced with a stubborn belly, one should not blindly try to lose weight. Only by addressing the root cause of one's constitution, such as unblocking the meridians, harmonizing qi and blood, and resolving phlegm and dampness, can one truly get rid of obesity and stay away from the threat of high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol.

Hin Ying Chinese Medicine Clinic adheres to the principle of "one prescription per person, syndrome differentiation and treatment," with senior registered Chinese medicine doctors providing one-on-one consultations to accurately determine body type and develop personalized belly-slimming and conditioning plans. They use professional Chinese medicine techniques to safeguard the metabolic health and body management of Hong Kong citizens.

If you are also troubled by stubborn belly fat, excessive dampness, abnormal high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar, you may wish to seek medical treatment in time to improve your physical condition from the root, say goodbye to obesity and sub-health, and gain a healthy body and a light state.