Ideal DEXA Clinic

Understanding your body composition is key to optimizing long-term well-being and one key element of this is visceral fat.

Even those with an otherwise healthy BMI or a body fat percentage may have excess visceral fat, which can pose a significant risk for certain health conditions.

What Is Visceral Fat?

visceral fat vs subcutaneous fat location via transverse plane view

Visceral fat is stored within the abdominal cavity, surrounding key organs like the liver, pancreas, and intestines. While some visceral fat is necessary to cushion these organs, an excessive amount can lead to significant health problems.

Unlike subcutaneous fat, which lies directly under the skin and can be more easily observed, visceral fat accumulates internally, making it harder to detect without specific imaging techniques.

Health Concerns

Visceral fat is metabolically active, releasing more inflammatory molecules than subcutaneous fat. This contributes to chronic inflammation, which can exacerbate many diseases and chronic health conditions.

Type II Diabetes

Blood sugar finger prick test

Visceral fat has fewer insulin receptors, making it less responsive to insulin’s effects. It also releases free fatty acids (FFAs) into the bloodstream, which build up in the liver disrupting glucose and fat metabolism.

Subsequently, the amount of visceral fat one carries is a strong indicator of type II diabetes and has been shown to worsen insulin sensitivity, independent of BMI.

Cardiovascular Disease

Heart highlighted inside skeleton chest

Similarly, research shows a significant association with cardiovascular disease risk.

The buildup of visceral fat increases the production of inflammatory cells like macrophages. These can be found in arterial plaques, increasing the risk of ruptures and therefore heart attacks.

Cancer

High amounts of visceral fat is also associated with an increased risk of certain cancers due to its impact on inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, DNA methylation, sex hormones, and certain growth factors.

How Do You Measure Visceral Fat?

DEXA scan machine and sample image from hologic dexa scan.

One of the most accessible and accurate ways to measure visceral fat is through a DEXA scan.

DEXA scans work by passing X-rays through the body at two energy levels. Different tissues absorb the X-rays to varying degrees, which allows the machine to create a detailed image of your body composition.

The scan can measure the density and location of fat within the abdominal cavity, making it possible to differentiate between subcutaneous and visceral fat.

The report will show your visceral fat mass in grams, and the total volume and area.

Example r'adipose indices' results form hologic dexa scan with visceral fat values highlighted.

The general health risk ranges for these numbers are:

  • Low Risk: VAT area <100 cm².
  • Moderate Risk: VAT area 100–160 cm².
  • High Risk: VAT area >160 cm².

How to Reduce Visceral Fat

Even just small changes in visceral fat can dramatically affect your risk for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.

Dietary Fibre

dietary fibre foods

Higher levels of dietary fibre are associated with reductions in visceral fat, independent of other variables including subcutaneous fat.

One study found that for each 10 g increase in soluble fibre consumed, the rate of visceral fat accumulation decreased by 3.7% (independent of changes in BMI).

This relationship is also supported by other research, highlighting that it has positive effects independent of variables such as subcutaneous fat.

Researchers speculate this may be due to the reduction in inflammation and insulin resistance, as that can cause fat accumulation around the midsection.

Dietary Fats

foods high in healthy fats

Overall, a diet high in saturated fats appears to promote a greater accumulation of visceral fat compared to a diet rich in polyunsaturated fats.

Similarly, another study showed saturated fats increase the expression of an enzyme responsible for converting cortisone to cortisol in VAT, potentially promoting visceral fat accumulation.

On the other hand, they found that monounsaturated fats appear to have the opposite effect, reducing cortisol activity in visceral fat.

This reinforces the importance of dietary fat quality in managing body fat distribution and associated metabolic risks.

Sugar & Alcohol

alcohol drinks on a bench

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages tends to direct excess calories toward visceral fat accumulation, and alcohol intake is also linked to increased visceral fat buildup, regardless of other influencing factors.

Exercise

women in the gym with a dumbbell seated on the floor

Exercise seems to play a pretty direct role in reducing visceral fat.

A 2023 systematic review showed that exercise had a dose-response relationship per 1000 calories spent per week. It’s important to note, that this seems to be more relevant for obese individuals.

(Recchia et al., 2023)


This direct impact of exercise is highlighted in other studies.

One study placed two groups of participants in the same calorie deficit, however, one was driven by exercise, the other was driven by eating less. Depsite losing similar amounts of weight after the 12-month period, visceral fat loss was almost 2 fold greater for those in exercise-induced deficit.

A 2016 systematic review also highlighted that exercise training resulted in a 6.1% decrease in visceral fat even in the absence of weight loss. Exercise training was defined as “voluntary aerobic exercise at a low to vigorous intensity for at least two times per week during a minimum period of 4 weeks and with a minimum duration of 20 min per session”.

Summary

By understanding your visceral fat levels, you can make informed lifestyle changes to significantly reduce your risk for chronic diseases and improve your overall quality of life.

Overall, lifestyle changes that incorporate quality nutrition and regular physical activity are essential for managing visceral fat and promoting long-term health.

If you’re curious about your visceral fat levels, consider scheduling a DEXA to get a clear understanding of your health.

  • Categories

  • Follow Us