Your body stores fat in two distinct ways: subcutaneous fat sits just beneath the skin and makes up around 90% of your total body fat, while visceral fat wraps around your internal organs deep inside the abdominal cavity. Both types serve a purpose, but too much of either - visceral fat in particular - is linked to serious health risks, including cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes
What is visceral fat, and why does it matter?
Visceral fat is the fat stored deep within the abdominal cavity, lining and surrounding your internal organs, including the liver, pancreas, and intestines. Having some visceral fat is entirely normal - it acts as a physical cushion, protecting organs from impact, and it's readily available for the body to use as an energy source.
Problems arise when visceral fat accumulates beyond its healthy range. Because it sits so close to vital organs and major blood vessels, excess visceral fat is metabolically active in ways that are harmful. It can release inflammatory compounds and fatty acids directly into the liver, raising the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Even individuals with a healthy body weight can carry too much visceral fat, which is why scale weight alone is a poor indicator of metabolic health.
What is subcutaneous fat, and is it a health concern?
Subcutaneous fat is the fat found just beneath the skin - it's the layer you can pinch around your belly, hips, thighs, and buttocks. It accounts for roughly 90% of the body's total fat stores and plays an important role in insulating the body, cushioning muscles and bones, and storing energy for longer-term use.
Unlike visceral fat, subcutaneous fat is considered less immediately dangerous in moderate amounts. However, excessive subcutaneous fat is still associated with increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. It also tends to be more stubborn to lose - subcutaneous fat is generally more resistant to lifestyle intervention than visceral fat, which is why fat loss can be a slow process even when you're doing everything right.
What is the difference between visceral fat and belly fat?
"Belly fat" colloquially refers to any abdominal fat, but it includes both subcutaneous fat (just under the skin) and visceral fat (deep around the organs). They look similar from the outside but behave very differently metabolically. Visceral fat is the dangerous component. You can have a relatively flat stomach and still have significant visceral fat — this is one reason direct measurement matters.
Can you have high visceral fat at a normal BMI?
Yes, and this is common. The condition is sometimes called "TOFI" — thin outside, fat inside. People with normal BMI but high visceral fat have cardiometabolic risk profiles that look more like the obese category and are routinely missed by BMI-based screening.
Your body stores fat in two structurally distinct compartments:
Subcutaneous adipose tissue — the soft fat layer directly under your skin. You can pinch it. It is the fat most people associate with "being overweight."
Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) — the fat packed deep inside your abdominal cavity, wrapped around and between your internal organs: liver, pancreas, intestines, and kidneys.
These two fat depots look similar but behave nothing alike.
Subcutaneous fat is largely a passive storage tissue.
Visceral fat is a metabolically and hormonally active endocrine organ. It secretes pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6), free fatty acids, and adipokines that drain directly into the portal vein and reach the liver first — driving insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and systemic inflammation in ways subcutaneous fat simply does not.1
This is why two people with identical body weight, identical BMI, and identical total body fat can have completely different metabolic health profiles. The one with high VAT is at substantially elevated risk. The one with low VAT, even if heavier overall, may be metabolically healthy.
Subcutaneous vs Visceral Fat
What is Visceral Adipose Tissue (VAT)? It is the deep abdominal fat that surrounds your liver, pancreas, and intestines. It is located intra-abdominally (behind the abdominal muscles and around organs) is more metabolically active than subcutaneous adipose tissue. It is metabolically active, drives inflammation, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease, and it is the single most dangerous fat depot in the human body. It has been associated with insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and several types of cancer. You cannot see it in the mirror. You cannot measure it with a tape measure. A VLA can measure it in 10 minutes.
The definition of overweight and obesity is “abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health” [1]. The most frequently used definitions of being overweight and obesity are based on anthropometric measures such as body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, which do not distinguish between fat mass and fat free mass, but rather represent overall body size.
VAT stands for Visceral Adipose Tissue, commonly known as visceral fat.
It is the deep body fat that wraps around your internal organs—such as your liver, stomach, intestines, and pancreas—inside your abdominal cavity.
Unlike subcutaneous fat (the soft fat just under your skin that you can pinch), VAT is hidden deep inside and cannot be seen or felt directly in the mirror.
Why VAT Matters
Metabolically active: VAT is not just dormant storage; it acts almost like an active endocrine organ, releasing hormones, free fatty acids, and inflammatory proteins.
Health risks: High amounts of VAT disrupt insulin signaling and raise your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Not tied strictly to weight: Even people who look thin on the outside ("skinny fat") can carry dangerous levels of visceral fat.
Why VAT Is the Most Dangerous Fat in Your Body
The mechanisms by which visceral fat causes disease are now well-established:
1. Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
VAT releases free fatty acids directly into the portal vein, where they impair hepatic insulin signaling and drive insulin resistance — the precursor to type 2 diabetes.1 Research on DEXA-measured VAT in young, otherwise healthy adults has shown that VAT correlates with cardiometabolic risk markers (blood pressure, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, insulin, HOMA-IR) even before traditional risk factors become abnormal.2
2. Cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis
Visceral fat is the strongest adipose-tissue predictor of cardiovascular disease. The Framingham Heart Study established the link between abdominal adiposity and CVD risk decades ago, and modern imaging confirms VAT's role in promoting systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and atherosclerotic plaque development.3
A 2025 NHANES-based study established sex-specific VAT thresholds for cardiovascular disease risk stratification:
The authors of that study explicitly noted that BMI "fails to capture critical pathophysiological distinctions in regional adiposity deposition, conflating lean mass with fat mass and disregarding visceral adipose tissue distribution patterns." Their conclusion: BMI may misclassify cardiometabolic risk, either underestimating VAT-driven pathology in normal-weight individuals or overestimating it in muscular phenotypes.4
3. Dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome
A landmark study published in Diabetes Care identified critical VAT thresholds in postmenopausal women: those with VAT ≥ 106 cm² were 2.5 times more likely to have low HDL cholesterol, and those with VAT ≥ 163 cm² were 5.5 times more likely to have low HDL and approximately 4 times more likely to have a high LDL/HDL ratio.5
4. Inflammation and accelerated aging
VAT secretes inflammatory mediators that contribute to chronic low-grade systemic inflammation — a state strongly associated with accelerated biological aging, neurodegeneration, and cancer risk.1,6
5. Cancer risk
The relationship between visceral adiposity and cancer is increasingly clear. Multiple cohort studies link VAT to elevated risk of colorectal, postmenopausal breast, pancreatic, endometrial, and liver cancers — risks that are not fully captured by BMI alone.1
The bottom line: VAT is the most clinically dangerous fat depot in the body, and it is invisible to every screening tool except direct imaging.
Visceral Fat: Definition, Health Risks, & FAQ Guide
Visceral fat is a type of body fat that wraps around your abdominal organs deep inside your body. Since visceral fat is stored within the abdominal cavity, you can’t always see or feel it. You’ll also see visceral fat abbreviated as VAT, which stands for visceral adipose tissue.
Visceral fat is found near several vital organs, including:
Stomach
Liver
Intestines
VAT makes up roughly 10% of your total body fat. Typically, women, elderly, and overweight people have a higher percentage of visceral fat.
However, the amount and distribution can vary depending on your age, sex, genotype, ethnicity, diet, physical activity, hormone levels, and even medications you may be taking.
Why is visceral fat dangerous?
If you have an abnormally high increase of visceral fat, this is also known as visceral obesity.
So how does excess fat affect the body’s organs? Excess body fat puts strain on the organs and bones, and impairs the body's responsiveness to insulin. As a result, this raises blood sugar and insulin levels.
What are the differences between visceral fat and subcutaneous fat?
Visceral Fat vs. Subcutaneous FatWhat’s the difference?
Visceral Fat (VAT)
Not easily visible
Located deep within the abdomen
Easier to metabolize than SAT
Subcutaneous Fat (SAT)
Easily visible (arms & legs)
Stored just under the skin
Harder to metabolize than VAT
Belly fat and visceral fat aren’t necessarily the same thing. Another type of belly fat that’s more visible is subcutaneous fat, which is stored just under the skin.
Subcutaneous fat, also known as SAT (subcutaneous adipose tissue), is the type of fat that’s also found in the arms and legs. As a result, it’s easier to see than visceral fat.
Interestingly, your body can metabolize visceral fat faster than subcutaneous fat, making it easier to use. Your body can actually reduce visceral fat when you sweat or pee, and by exercising and maintaining a healthy diet.
This can lead to many serious health problems, including:
Cardiovascular disease and heart disease
Impaired glucose and lipid metabolism
Insulin resistance
Increase risk of prostate, breast, and colorectal cancer
Arterial hypertension and Hypertriglyceridemia
Metabolic syndrome
Metabolic factors
Hypertension
Diabetes
Elevated triglycerides
Low HDL
Metabolic syndrome
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)
(hypertension (mean systolic blood pressure >130 mmHg and/or mean diastolic blood pressure >85 mmHg and/or use of antihypertensives), or use of lipid-lowering drugs), low HDL cholesterol (HDL cholesterol <1.3 (women) or <1.0 (men) mmol/L
high nonfasting blood lipids -Triglycerides ≥1.7 mmol/L
glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (%), and diabetes (self-reported diabetes and/or HbA1c ≥ 6.5% and/or use of insulin and/or other diabetes medication)
Metabolic syndrome was defined as presence of three or more of the components presented above
Body composition changes with age as total lean mass decreases, fat mass increases, and a greater proportion of fat accumulates within the abdomen as visceral fat [24].
What causes an increase in visceral fat?
Your diet and exercise are the biggest factors that contribute to visceral fat.
When it comes to your diet, eating lots of fatty foods and carbohydrates (sugars) will increase your percentage of visceral fat and lead to weight gain.
Here are the types of food and beverages that can lead to an increase in visceral fat:
Fried foods
Red meat
Processed meat
Refined grains (white bread, white flour, white rice)
Sugary foods
Alcohol
Soda and other sugary beverages
On the other hand, some foods can actually help prevent an increase in visceral fat.
Here’s a list of foods that burn visceral fat:
Fruit
Dairy and nutrients
Whole grains
Fiber
Other than diet, inactivity and lack of exercise can lead to an increase in visceral fat.
Therefore, if you want to decrease your VAT, maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine is crucial!
Best way to measure fat
VAT is the reason BMI fails as a health metric.
My personal and professional choice is Bioimpedance Fluid Analysis using same side hand and foot to gather information from an electrical current passing from the upper body arms through the torso and lower body is one of the most accurate standard of measurement for muscle to fat percentage and fluid analysis for the body.
Vat is also the reason a whole-body DEXA scan is a gold standard test you can take for cardiometabolic risk stratification.
How to Reduce Visceral Fat: What the Evidence Actually Supports
What is the fastest way to reduce visceral fat?
Aerobic exercise and HIIT produce the largest, fastest reductions in visceral fat, particularly when combined with dietary changes that reduce refined carbohydrates and added sugar. Visceral fat tends to mobilize before subcutaneous fat during exercise interventions — meaning you may see metabolic improvements before you see scale changes.10,11
Unlike subcutaneous fat, which responds primarily to caloric balance, visceral fat is exquisitely responsive to exercise — particularly aerobic exercise and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). The evidence base is strong and consistent.
1. Exercise — the highest-leverage intervention for VAT specifically
A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials examining dose-response effects of exercise versus caloric restriction on visceral adiposity in overweight and obese adults concluded:
"Both interventions can effectively reduce visceral fat... However, only exercise showed a dose-dependent relationship between energy expenditure and visceral fat."10
Translation: every additional unit of exercise produces additional visceral fat reduction, in a way that caloric restriction alone does not.
A 2022 meta-analysis specifically comparing exercise modalities for visceral fat reduction in young adults found that aerobic exercise and HIIT were the most effective, with HIIT producing the largest reductions in many studies.11 A 12-week randomized trial in obese young women comparing HIIT to moderate-intensity continuous training found comparable reductions in abdominal visceral fat area between the two modalities — both significantly outperforming controls.12
2. Diet — particularly reductions in refined carbohydrates and added sugar
A 2025 dietary intervention study published in Frontiers in Endocrinology confirmed that visceral adiposity loss is directly associated with improvement in cardiometabolic markers, including reductions in inflammation, triglycerides, and insulin resistance.13 A 2025 Medical News Today-covered review concluded that the combination of diet and exercise produced greater visceral fat reduction than either alone.14
3. Combined exercise plus dietary intervention
A 2025 systematic review and meta-regression of randomized clinical trials evaluated the effect of combined exercise plus dietary intervention versus diet alone on ectopic fat depots — including VAT, liver fat, pancreatic fat, and pericardial fat — and found combined interventions consistently outperformed diet alone for visceral fat reduction.15
4. Sleep, stress, and cortisol management
Chronic short sleep (<7 hours) and chronic stress are independently associated with elevated cortisol and preferential visceral fat accumulation — independent of caloric intake. The visceral fat depot is more responsive to cortisol than the subcutaneous depot.
Does spot reduction work for visceral fat?
You cannot "target" visceral fat with abdominal exercises (crunches, sit-ups). Visceral fat responds to systemic interventions — aerobic exercise, HIIT, dietary change, sleep, and stress management — not to localized resistance work in the abdomen.
The Bottom Line
Visceral fat is the most clinically dangerous fat depot in your body. It is invisible to BMI, invisible to your scale, and only loosely captured by a tape measure. The only way to know your real number is to measure it directly.
A whole-body VLA gives you that number in about 10 minutes.
Subcutaneous vs Visceral Fat: What Your DNA Tells You
How does genetics influence where you store fat?
Genetics plays a significant role in determining both the amount of fat your body stores and where it tends to accumulate. This is why some people naturally carry more weight around the abdomen - a pattern associated with higher visceral fat - while others store it predominantly in the hips and thighs. These differences in body shape are substantially inherited.
Your genetic profile influences not only how much visceral fat you're predisposed to develop, but also how efficiently your body uses it for energy. Research into gene variants related to fat metabolism and body composition is an active area - and it's precisely why two people can follow identical diets and exercise programs and see very different results in terms of where and how quickly they lose fat.
Genes influence fat distribution and metabolic response, helping to explain individual differences in body composition and providing a more personalized starting point for making targeted lifestyle changes.
Finally, we also look at an extensive range of traits that help you understand body fat gain and eating behavior. These impact calorie intake, which ultimately fuels the metabolic conditions that can fuel visceral fat growth.
What environmental factors drive visceral fat accumulation?
While genetics sets the baseline,
Your lifestyle determines how much visceral fat you develop over time.
Diets high in refined carbohydrates, sugar, and saturated fat are particularly associated with increased visceral fat accumulation.
Physical inactivity is also a major driver. The body generates visceral fat as an energy store, but if activity levels are low, that fat is never converted back into fuel.
Chronic sleep deprivation is another underappreciated factor. Poor sleep raises cortisol, a stress hormone, which directly promotes visceral fat storage and makes it harder for the body to break that fat down.
Similarly, consistently elevated stress levels sustain high cortisol and can accelerate visceral fat accumulation even in otherwise healthy individuals.
Alcohol intake is also worth noting. Regular or heavy alcohol consumption is directly linked to increased visceral fat, particularly around the abdomen.
Is visceral fat easier to lose than subcutaneous fat?
Visceral fat is generally more responsive to lifestyle intervention than subcutaneous fat. Because the body uses it preferentially as an energy source, visceral fat tends to decrease relatively quickly with regular aerobic exercise, dietary changes, and improved sleep quality. Many people notice a reduction in waist circumference before they see visible changes elsewhere.
Subcutaneous fat, by contrast, is more metabolically inert and tends to persist longer. Targeted exercises for specific areas (often called 'spot reduction') do not work - fat loss from subcutaneous stores is systemic, meaning it happens across the body over time rather than from one isolated region. Consistency over months is what shifts subcutaneous fat.
The most effective approach for both fat types combines regular exercise (both resistance training and cardiovascular work), a balanced diet that limits ultra-processed foods and excess sugar, adequate sleep (7-9 hours per night), stress management, and reduced alcohol intake.
What's harder to lose, subcutaneous or visceral fat?
Subcutaneous fat (the soft, pinchable fat directly under the skin) is generally harder to lose than visceral fat (the deeper fat surrounding your internal organs).
Why Subcutaneous Fat is Harder to Lose
Receptors: Subcutaneous fat cells—especially around the abdomen and hips—often have a higher concentration of alpha-2 receptors, which tend to slow down or inhibit fat breakdown (lipolysis).
Blood Flow: It typically has lower metabolic activity and less direct blood supply compared to deep abdominal areas, making it more stubborn to burn.
Proportion in Total Weight: Subcutaneous fat makes up about 90% of total body fat, meaning it takes a longer overall volume of sustained effort to shift
WHAT IS STATED ABOVE IS CONVENTIONAL THOUGHT.
MY EXPERIENCE IS — IT IS EASIER — TO REMOVE THIS THIN LAYER OF FAT
If you consume a glass of wine after golfing, playing tennis, snow skiing, water skiing / wake boarding, lounging on the boat, bowling, or sit watching TV after work JUST TO FINISH THE ACTIVITY BY SITTING AROUND THE TABLE WITH THE GIRLS OR THE BOYS – you will acquire THAT thin layer of fat you feel under your skin (SUBCUTANEOUS FAT) THAT WILL REMAIN THERE UNTIL YOU STOP CONSUMING THAT SOCIAL DRINK. It usually disappears over 1-2 months OF NOT DRINKING IT.
Why Visceral Fat Responds Faster
Metabolic Activity: Visceral fat is metabolically active and sensitive to hormones and blood flow.
Responsiveness to Deficit: Clinical reviews and studies show that when you enter a calorie deficit through diet and exercise, the percentage reduction of visceral fat often outpaces that of subcutaneous fat.
How to Lose Both: You cannot spot-reduce fat in a specific area. Reducing both types requires a consistent overall calorie deficit combined with regular aerobic exercise, strength training, whole foods, and stress management
How It Is Measured
Imaging: Specialized scans like MRI, CT scans, or DEXA scans provide precise measurements of VAT volume or mass. You can learn more about clinical evaluation through guides like DexaFit.
VLA: The Vitality, Longevity, Assessment – Bioimpedance Fluid Analysis using same side hand and foot to gather information from an electrical current passing from the upper body arms through the torso and lower body. It is one of the most accurate standard of measurements for muscle to fat percentage and fluid analysis for the body. It takes only 4 adhesive electro-pads, is very inexpensive, quick, and done with clothes on.
How to Reduce VAT
Visceral fat responds well to lifestyle changes:
Regular exercise: Aerobic and resistance training help burn visceral fat faster than surface fat.
Dietary shifts: Focus on whole foods, fiber, and lean proteins while cutting back on ultra-processed foods, refined carbs, and sugary drinks.
Stress and sleep management: Lowering chronic stress reduces cortisol, a hormone that promotes VAT storage.
How to reduce belly fat
The best way to reduce VAT is to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Here are some tips to help you get started:
Eat a balanced diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables
Exercise regularly and engage in aerobic activities such as walking, jogging, or swimming
Reduce your stress levels and practice relaxation techniques such as yoga
Get enough sleep
Avoid sugary foods and drinks
Limit your alcohol intake
Drink plenty of water
Avoid processed foods, saturated fats, and trans fats
Can liposuction reduce visceral fat?
Liposuction is a fat removal procedure that’s only designed to remove subcutaneous fat.
Furthermore, because visceral fat is embedded deep inside the abdominal cavity – it cannot be suctioned out with lipo.
Why do people have a hard time losing belly fat?
It’s not easy to reduce visceral fat, as it is often stored deep within the abdominal cavity. Keep in mind that you can’t spot reduce fat from just one area of your body, such as the abdomen.
So in order to reduce visceral fat, you must reduce your total body fat. This can be done through a combination of diet and exercise.
Even if you’re doing all the right things, it can still take time to reduce VAT. Genetics, hormone levels, and medications can all have an effect on how quickly your body will burn fat.
Ultimately, patience and consistency is key when it comes to reducing belly fat and losing weight.
Book an appointment with Dr Carlston so that you can track your progress and receive personalized advice.
How to get rid of VAT fat?
You can get rid of visceral fat (deep abdominal fat surrounding your organs) by combining regular aerobic and strength exercise, improving your diet, and managing stress and sleep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What shrinks belly fat the fastest?
A combination of a caloric deficit (eating fewer calories than you burn), a low-carb or whole-food diet, and aerobic exercise paired with resistance training shrinks belly fat the fastest.
Spot reduction—such as doing endless crunches or sit-ups—does not target belly fat. Instead, your body sheds fat overall, with visceral belly fat often responding first when you create the right metabolic environment.
Create a Caloric Deficit: You must consume fewer calories than you burn through daily movement and metabolism. Focus on whole, unprocessed foods like vegetables, lean proteins, and beans rather than counting every calorie.
Cut Liquid Calories and Sugar: Eliminate sugary drinks, sodas, fruit juices, and alcohol, which directly trigger visceral fat storage around your organs
Increase Aerobic Activity: Engage in 150+ minutes of moderate-intensity cardio (like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming) or High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) each week to ramp up fat oxidation.
Add Resistance Training: Lift weights or do bodyweight strength exercises 2 to 3 times a week to build lean muscle mass, which raises your resting metabolic rate.
Prioritize Protein and Soluble Fiber: Eating high-protein meals and soluble fiber (found in Brussels sprouts, avocados, and legumes) helps control hunger hormones and lowers insulin spikes.
Manage Sleep and Stress: Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night and keep stress low to prevent elevated cortisol levels, a hormone that actively promotes abdominal fat storage.
Q. Can I measure how much visceral fat I have?
Visceral fat cannot be measured by pinching or by a standard body fat scale. The most accurate measures are a DEXA scan or an MRI. However, waist circumference is a practical proxy - a waist measurement above 88cm (women) or 102cm (men) is generally associated with elevated visceral fat and increased cardiometabolic risk.
Q. Does blood testing reveal visceral fat levels?
Not directly - no standard blood test measures visceral fat. However, blood markers such as fasting insulin, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and HbA1c are closely associated with visceral fat levels and metabolic health. tracking these through services like Thriva or Medichecks,
Q. Why do I store fat on my hips and thighs rather than my belly?
Fat distribution patterns are largely genetic.
Estrogen tends to promote fat storage in the hips, buttocks, and thighs - which is why pre-menopausal women often store more subcutaneous fat in these areas.
Testosterone is associated with more abdominal storage.
After menopause, the shift in hormonal balance often leads to increased abdominal fat accumulation in women.
Your DNA influences both your hormonal baseline and how sensitively your cells respond to these signals. - meaning two people with similar hormone levels may still carry fat in different places depending on their genetic profile.
Q. Does visceral fat cause inflammation?
Yes. Visceral fat tissue releases pro-inflammatory cytokines and free fatty acids into the portal circulation, which feeds directly into the liver. Excess visceral fat is strongly associated with systemic low-grade inflammation - a key mechanism linking abdominal obesity to cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and certain cancers.
Q. Can you have too little subcutaneous fat?
Yes. Very low levels of subcutaneous fat - a condition known as lipodystrophy - are associated with serious metabolic problems, including insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, even without excess visceral fat. A healthy level of subcutaneous fat is important for normal hormonal function, insulation, and immune health.
Q. What exercises are best for reducing visceral fat?
Aerobic exercise (particularly moderate-to-vigorous intensity cardio such as running, cycling, rowing, or swimming) is consistently shown to reduce visceral fat most effectively. Resistance training supports fat loss by increasing metabolic rate. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is also well-evidenced for reducing visceral fat, particularly when combined with dietary changes. The most important factor is consistency over time.
Q. Does alcohol increase visceral fat specifically?
Yes. Alcohol is preferentially metabolized before fat, effectively pausing fat oxidation while alcohol is present. Regular drinking is associated with increased abdominal fat storage, and heavy intake correlates strongly with elevated visceral fat levels. Reducing alcohol is one of the more impactful lifestyle changes for reducing visceral fat accumulation.
Q. Does alcohol increase subcutaneous fat?
Yes. Alcohol is preferentially metabolized before fat, effectively pausing fat oxidation while alcohol is present. Regular drinking is associated with increased subcutaneous fat storage, and heavy intake correlates strongly with elevated subcutaneous fat levels. Eliminating alcohol is one of the more impactful lifestyle changes for removing subcutaneous fat accumulation.
How to measure visceral fat
The DXA scan is considered the “gold standard” test for measuring body composition factors like:
Visceral adipose tissue (VAT)
Total fat mass
Lean body mass
Bone mineral content
Bone mineral density
In addition, the DXA scan also offers a simple and reliable estimation of VAT mass and volume.
WHR vs BIA
It's important to note the DXA scan can provide precise measures of total fat mass. Therefore, we can only calculate visceral fat indirectly through measuring the Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR).
That said, DXA is a far more precise method than anthropometric techniques, including waist circumference or bioelectrical impedance (BIA).
What is a healthy amount of visceral fat?
The normal visceral fat range should be about 10% of your body fat. If VAT levels are higher than 10%, it is a risk for cardiovascular or metabolic health diseases.
Does visceral fat contribute significantly to body weight?
Recent studies show that VAT is strongly correlated with body fat percentage. However, abdominal fat, which includes visceral fat, is more related to health risks than whole-body fat.
References
Medical disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical interpretation of body composition data should be conducted in partnership with a qualified healthcare provider
Després JP, Lemieux I. (2006). Abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome. Nature, 444(7121), 881-887.
Fox CS, et al. (2007). Abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue compartments. Circulation, 116(1), 39-48.
Loos RJF, Ruchat S, Rankinen T, et al. (2007). Adiponectin and adiponectin receptor gene variants in relation to resting metabolic rate, respiratory quotient, and adiposity-related phenotypes in the Quebec Family Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 85(1), 26-34.
Tchernof A, Després JP. (2013). Pathophysiology of human visceral obesity: an update. Physiological Reviews, 93(1), 359-404.
Shen W, et al. (2009). Adipose tissue quantification by imaging methods: a proposed classification. Obesity Research, 11(1), 5-16.
Wajchenberg BL. (2000). Subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue: their relation to the metabolic syndrome. Endocrine Reviews, 21(6), 697-738.
Ross R, et al. (2020). Waist circumference as a vital sign in clinical practice: a Consensus Statement from the IAS and ICCR Working Group on Visceral Obesity. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 16(3), 177-189.
3. Framingham Heart Study and abdominal adiposity — cardiovascular risk evidence base, summarized in: Visceral adiposity loss is associated with improvement in cardiometabolic markers: findings from a dietary intervention study. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 2025. Available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1576599/full
5. Nicklas BJ, Penninx BWJH, Ryan AS, et al. Visceral Adipose Tissue Cutoffs Associated With Metabolic Risk Factors for Coronary Heart Disease in Women. Diabetes Care. 2003;26(5):1413–1420. Available at: https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/26/5/1413/24457/
6. Dietary Intervention, When Not Associated With Exercise, Upregulates Irisin/FNDC5 While Reducing Visceral Adiposity Markers in Obese Rats. PMC. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8414258/
7. DXA Measured Visceral Adipose Tissue, Total Fat, Anthropometric Indices and Its Association With Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Mother-Daughter Pairs From India. Endocrine Practice. 2020. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32651111/
9. Dose-response effects of exercise and caloric restriction on visceral adiposity in overweight and obese adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2023. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10423480/
10. Effects of different exercise types on visceral fat in young individuals with obesity aged 6–24 years old: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Physiology. 2022. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9562999/
11. Comparable Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training and Prolonged Continuous Exercise Training on Abdominal Visceral Fat Reduction in Obese Young Women. Journal of Diabetes Research. 2017. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5237463/
