From the Guidelines
The optimal amount of visceral fat is generally considered to be as low as possible, with a waist circumference of less than 35 inches (88 cm) for women and less than 40 inches (102 cm) for men recommended as a healthy target. This is because excess visceral fat is metabolically active, releasing inflammatory substances and hormones that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers 1. Visceral fat surrounds internal organs in the abdominal cavity and is more strongly linked to health problems than subcutaneous fat that sits just under the skin. Some key points to consider include:
- Visceral fat is highly metabolically active and contributes to several disease states, including the metabolic syndrome, which consists of central obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance, and hypercholesterolemia 1
- Central obesity can be defined as a waist circumference greater than 88 cm in a woman and 102 cm in a man; or a waist-to-height ratio greater than 0.55 1
- Maintaining healthy visceral fat levels requires regular physical activity, a balanced diet rich in whole foods and low in processed carbohydrates and sugars, adequate sleep, and stress management
- Weight loss is an important therapeutic objective for individuals with pre-diabetes or diabetes, and can be achieved through lifestyle modification, including diet and physical activity, as well as weight loss medications or bariatric surgery in some cases 1
- The importance of controlling body weight in reducing risks related to diabetes is of great importance, and clinicians should be aware of the risks associated with excess adipose tissue, particularly in Asian populations where the risk of type 2 diabetes and CVD is significant at BMIs of 23 kg/m2 1
From the Research
Optimal Amount of Visceral Fat
There is no specific optimal amount of visceral fat, as the goal is to minimize visceral fat to reduce health risks.
Reducing Visceral Fat
- Exercise and calorie restriction are common approaches to reduce visceral fat 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- High-intensity resistance training can induce faster visceral fat loss 2.
- Aerobic exercise is also effective in reducing visceral fat, and may be more effective than resistance training 6.
- Calorie restriction with or without exercise can improve liver fat in adults with visceral adiposity 4.
- Resistance training with or without caloric restriction can reduce visceral fat, but the addition of caloric restriction may not have a greater effect 5.
Factors Influencing Visceral Fat Reduction
- Baseline values of visceral fat and abdominal subcutaneous fat area can influence the reduction in visceral fat 3.
- Age and duration of intervention can also impact the effectiveness of visceral fat reduction 5, 6.
- The relationship between total body fat and visceral fat area is important, as changes in total body fat can affect visceral fat area 3.