Different Types of Belly Fat

Belly fat is also known as abdominal obesity. Belly fat comes in two different types: the subcutaneous and visceral varieties.

Subcutaneous Belly Fat

• Subcutaneous belly fat is the visible fat that can be felt and handled. This kind of fat appears all around the body: the stomach, hips, buttocks, arms, legs and thighs.

Purpose of Subcutaneous Belly Fat

• Subcutaneous fat is essential for proper body function. This type of fat serves as insulation and provides warmth. While having too little of this fat is not good for health, too much is also a health risk.

Health Risks for Excess Subcutaneous Belly Fat

• Too much subcutaneous belly fat indicates a person is overweight issues and possibly obese. This a condition, associated with high cholesterol, heart problems and metabolism issues.

Visceral Belly Fat

• Visceral belly fat is located deeper within the body, found only in the torso region. While it is not readily noticeable, usually those with the subcutaneous variety have an excess of visceral belly fat, as well.

Causes of Visceral Belly Fat

• Visceral fat can be problematic since it is located deep within the upper body and surrounds the internal organs. Visceral belly fat can damage the liver, heart and kidney.

Effect of Visceral Belly Fat

• Visceral belly fat is unseen and people can still have a large amount inside of their bodies. Visceral fat can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, breast cancer, diabetes and dementia.