Visceral fat: What it is and how to reduce it

Most of us know it’s not healthy to be carrying excess body fat. But, certain types of fat can be even more harmful than we realise, especially if we develop too much of it. 

Visceral fat, which is stored around your organs, can contribute to a range of dangerous health conditions, such as heart disease, dementia and cancer. This is opposed to subcutaneous fat, which is the fat located under our skin, and stores our energy. 

Here we explain what visceral fat is, how it develops, and how you can reduce it.

What is visceral fat?

Visceral fat is essentially a build-up of fat that’s stored deeper than normal belly fat. It wraps around your major organs, including the liver, pancreas and kidneys. Some level of visceral fat can help to protect these organs, however too much of it can be bad for your health. Even if you appear as a slim person, you could still have high levels of visceral fat around your organs. It’s important to acknowledge whether you might have too much visceral fat, as if it’s left untreated, you could increase your risk of developing serious, chronic diseases.

What causes visceral fat?

Certain environmental factors can lead to a buildup of visceral fat, such as consuming too much sugar, alongside not incorporating regular exercise into your lifestyle. It’s been suggested that a person’s sex can play a role in how they store fat – for example, some men can store fat more easily around the abdomen, whereas women are more likely to accumulate fat on the hips and legs.

How to diagnose visceral fat

A CT or MRI scan is the only way to accurately and definitively diagnose visceral fat and if you have too much of it. However, these are costly and time-consuming scans and not easily available to everyone. 

Your GP can use general measurements and guidelines to estimate your visceral fat levels and the potential health risks.

You can also buy bioimpedance scales to help measure visceral fat. These work by sending a small electrical current through your body when you step on the sensors, that measures the amount of resistance from body fat. These are available at a range of prices but can only give you an estimation of your body fat.

But there are other simple and free ways you can estimate your visceral fat yourself.

How to measure your visceral fat yourself

One way to estimate your visceral fat is to measure your waist-hip ratio. Here’s how to do it.

Waist-hip ratio

  1. Stand up straight and tall
  2. Find and then measure the smallest part of your waist, this is usually located right above your belly button. This measurement is your waist circumference
  3. Next, find and measure the widest part of your buttocks or hips. This measurement is your hip circumference
  4. Divide your waist circumference by your hip circumference. The result you get is your waist-hip ratio

2008 report by the World Health Organization (WHO) cited a 2001 study, which stated that waist-to-hip ratio above .85 for women and .90 for men indicates abdominal obesity.

There is a strong correlation between visceral fat and waist-hip ratio. So if your ratio is above those recommended levels, it’s likely you’ll have high visceral fat levels.

Waist-height ratio (WHtR)

You can also use the waist-height ratio (WHtR). This may be a more suitable method for people with Type 1 diabetesaccording to a 2020 study.

All you have to do is divide your waist circumference by your height. This can be done in either centimetres or inches, just make sure both are the same units.

An ideal waist-height ratio is no greater than 50.

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Interested in monitoring your body measurements? You can track changes with the Evergreen Life app. Our body measurement tracker feature in the Evergreen Life app lets you record various results so you can understand your weight loss progress.

Complications from visceral fat

Visceral fat can cause some real health complications. These fat cells do more than just increase the notch on your belt – they can change some of your body’s vital functions.

For instance, visceral fat tissue acts like an organ itself, releasing hormones and inflammatory chemicals called cytokines, which can only be processed by the liver. In addition, these substances can cause inflammation and interfere with hormones, leading to changes in hunger, weight and mood.

Research has found that visceral fat can contribute to insulin resistance, increasing your risk of developing Type 2 diabetesStudies suggest this is because visceral fat secretes retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4), which increases insulin resistance.

Carrying additional visceral fat can also increase your risk of developing certain medical conditions, such as:

6 ways to reduce visceral fat

Have you found that your waist-hip ratio is higher than the recommended limit? Don’t worry – there are ways to reduce your visceral fat to healthier levels. Follow our tips for improved health:

1. Give fast food the boot

Refined carbohydrates and sugars contribute heavily to our storage of fat. Firstly, try to cut down on free sugars; that’s found in cakes, sweets, biscuits, chocolate, soft drinks, breakfast cereal and yoghurts etc. Free sugars are also found naturally in honey, unsweetened fruit juice, vegetable juices and smoothies. Try to stick to less than 30g of free sugars per day. It’s worth remembering this is a maximum and not a recommended amount; ideally we wouldn’t be having any but if you’d like a sweet treat, try to let it be just that – a treat.

2. Lean and clean protein

Beat hunger and reduce insulin spikes with healthy protein choices. Avoid greasy hamburgers, bacon, and processed sausages in favour of fish, lean meats – such as turkey or chicken – and free-range eggs. To increase your protein intake, try to add at least one of these sources to each meal.

3. Eat more soluble fibre

There are two different types of fibre – insoluble and soluble. Studies reveal that short-chain fatty acids can increase the level of ‘fullness hormones’, which can also help to reduce levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin. One study suggested that increasing soluble fibre intake by 10 grams each day helped to reduce visceral fat by up to 3.7%, which further suggests the benefits of incorporating more soluble fibre into your diet. The best way to do this is to eat more legumes, grains, flaxseeds, and sweet potatoes, all of which are high in soluble fibre.

4. Lose the booze

Alcohol can contribute to weight gain around your midsection, without you realising. It’s so easy to guzzle down hundreds, even thousands, of liquid calories by bingeing on beer, wine or cocktails. Extra alcohol units also place strain on the liver, which is already working overtime to break down the toxic, visceral fat acids. Give your liver a break – alternate beers with water or other sugar-free alternatives. If you want to learn how to manage your alcohol intake, have a read of our article for some useful advice.

5. Smoking – be a quitter

Cigarettes take a toll on almost your entire body. Like visceral fat, smoking increases your risk of cardiovascular disease. Take a step towards quitting today by cutting down the number of cigarettes per week. These 10 tips on the NHS website may also help you quit.

6. Move it

To guarantee visceral fat loss, it’s best to combine a good fitness routine and healthy diet – both essential for hormone regulation. Aerobic exercise for 30 minutes or more and high-intensity resistance training (also known as HIRT) can be effective methods for losing visceral fat. Firstly evaluate how much exercise you do currently, and try to gradually introduce more physical activity into your lifestyle. To get started with aerobic exercise, begin with brisk walking, jogging or running at least two to three times each week, rather than risk overexerting yourself. 

Never run before? Our guide on how to start running will get you going.

When should you speak to your doctor about visceral fat?

If you’re showing signs of excess visceral fat, and you’ve tried the techniques described here for many months, it may be helpful to book an appointment to see your GP. This way, you can see whether you’re at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, or other diseases that are related to higher levels of visceral fat. Your doctor will provide support and advice on how best to improve your health.

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Did you know you can track your body measurements like weight and visceral fat in the Evergreen Life app? You can also receive more personalised tips on how to improve other aspects of your wellbeing, such as diet, sleep and fitness. And by sharing your what you choose to do and any progress, you can help you and us better understand what works and what doesn’t. So whatever you chose to do, please record it in the app.  Who knows what you may help us learn? Download the app to start your wellness journey:

Reviewed by:

Anna Keeble – Head of Content

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Picture of Dr Brian Fisher MBBCh MBE MSc FRSA

Dr Brian Fisher MBBCh MBE MSc FRSA

Dr Brian Fisher MBBCh MBE MSc FRSA is Clinical Director at Evergreen Life, and a Medical Expert with more than 42 years’ experience as a GP. Brian supports people in staying as fit and well as possible by having more control over their health and healthcare.