With curly hair and a plump belly, Veasna, a 20 year-old second year media student at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, said his belly has grown day by day since he began college.

“I feel aged!” said Veasna. “I would say that I don’t feel handsome.”

He said that his belly affects his reaction toward daily activities, causing him to get up late, run slowly and breathe hard. He said that he cannot play sports and run as well as before, and he needs to rest a lot after studying and other activities.

Although many people believe that drinking alcohol makes the belly big, Veasna said he never drank alcohol before. He said that his large belly is caused by the way he carelessly eats and sleeps, adding that his study habits might be making him fatter.

“When I study, I feel exhausted afterward, then I always feel hungry, and want to eat and sleep.”

Veasna said that if his belly gets to the size that it was before college, he would be more handsome. Therefore, he wants a small belly.

“I like being slim and thin,” he said. “I would feel fresh and more enjoyable without it.”

Are there any techniques to reduce the belly?