Not all fat is equal. Subcutaneous fat you can pinch is relatively inert storage; visceral fat — deep abdominal fat surrounding the organs — is metabolically active, releasing inflammatory cytokines, raising free fatty acids, and driving insulin resistance and inflammation in the liver. It is best read as a marker that fat tissue is storing where it shouldn’t, rather than as a separate substance. Waist circumference predicts clinical outcome — diabetes especially — independent of BMI, which is why it tells you something the scale doesn’t. The good news: of all the fat on you, visceral is the depot that lifestyle change moves first.
This companion covers the two fat types, why visceral fat is dangerous, measurement methods and their limits, and what increases or reduces it. (6 min read)
Written by AI, directed and approved by me. How this is made →