Different Types of Body Fat: Distinguishing Between Subcutaneous and Visceral Fat

Different Types of Body Fat: Distinguishing Between Subcutaneous and Visceral Fat

Understanding the Difference Between Subcutaneous and Visceral Fat, and How to Minimize the Detrimental Kind

While having a small amount of fat isn't necessarily harmful, an excess, particularly visceral fat, can lead to serious health issues. Better understanding the types of fat and their functions enables individuals to better manage their overall health.

Subcutaneous fat, found just beneath the skin's surface, is the most common type. It can be found on various parts of the body, including the upper arms, legs, and buttocks, and serves as protection for muscles and bones, offers energy, controls body temperature, and even attaches the middle layer of skin to the muscles and bones.

On the other hand, visceral fat, stored within and between internal organs like the liver and intestines, is less beneficial. Although some visceral fat provides protection for internal organs, excessive amounts can be detrimental.

When health risks are concerned, subcutaneous fat is typically benign, while too much visceral fat can increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer, and fatty liver disease. Visceral fat can also raise blood pressure and the risk of stroke, complicating surgeries due to reduced visibility of the organs.

To determine how much visceral fat an individual has, measuring waist circumference is the simplest method. Doctors may also assess blood pressure, run fasting labs, or use more precise methods like computed tomography (CT) scanning or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A body mass index (BMI) calculation, based on height-to-weight and waist-to-hip ratios, may also be used.

Both genetics and environmental factors can affect the accumulation of visceral fat. Diet, exercise, stress, and lifestyle choices can play a significant role. Consuming high amounts of fatty and carb-rich foods and maintaining an inactive lifestyle increases the likelihood of visceral fat accumulation. Additionally, individuals who experience high stress levels may produce more cortisol, a stress hormone that could stimulate visceral fat accumulation.

By adopting a balanced diet, regular exercise, maintaining a proper sleep schedule, managing stress, and consulting a doctor for regular check-ups, individuals can help reduce their body fat and maintain overall health. This includes reducing intake of saturated fat and processed foods, increasing fiber-containing fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and practicing mild to moderate exercise, as well as sleep hygiene and stress reduction techniques. While it's not possible to specifically target and remove visceral fat, addressing these factors can help reduce its accumulation and improve metabolic health overall.

1. Excessive visceral fat, stored within and between internal organs, can increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer, and fatty liver disease.
2. A balanced diet, regular exercise, maintaining a proper sleep schedule, managing stress, and consulting a doctor for regular check-ups can help reduce body fat and promote overall health.
3. Consuming high amounts of fatty and carb-rich foods and maintaining an inactive lifestyle increases the likelihood of visceral fat accumulation.
4. Visceral fat can be detrimental when health risks are concerned, raising blood pressure, the risk of stroke, and complicating surgeries due to reduced visibility of the organs.
5. To determine how much visceral fat an individual has, measuring waist circumference is the simplest method, though doctors may use more precise methods like computed tomography (CT) scanning or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
6. While an individual's genetics can affect the accumulation of visceral fat, environmental factors, such as stress, lifestyle choices, and nutrition, can also play a significant role.
7. Both men's health and women's health can be affected by the accumulation of visceral fat, with potential implications for weight management, health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, skin-care, therapies-and-treatments, and even Medicaid (as it includes health coverage for certain chronic conditions related to obesity).

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