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Types of Belly Fat

Fats are necessary for the body to function efficiently, but can, if allowed to expand in excess, cause serious medical complications. There are two basic ways to classify fat--by color and location. Fat is often referred to as brown or white. It is also often identified by its location in the tissue system: visceral or subcutaneous.

  1. Brown Fat

    • Brown fat is the least plentiful fat in the body and appears more in the body composition of thin people than in the obese. Its primary purpose in our bodies is to act as a thermal agent, burning calories when we are exposed to the cold, according to "The New England Journal of Medicine." Brown fat is most active in infants and small children who have more trouble maintaining a constant body temperature than do adults. Although it can be found throughout the body in small amounts, it is largely concentrated in the collarbone and upper chest.

    White Fat

    • White fat is the type we are most familiar with. It stores food calories and releases hormones into the bloodstream that control metabolism. As people become obese and there is more of this fat in the body, it becomes less able to function efficiently. When we increase activity and decrease calorie intake, we lower the amount of white fat in the body, making it function more effectively. White fat loss cannot be targeted to a specific area and will occur evenly over the entire body. This type of fatty tissue predominantly makes up subcutaneous and visceral fats, which together, make up belly fat.

    Subcutaneous Fat

    • Subcutaneous fat is the thin layer of fat that lies directly below the skin. It is found on the belly, thighs and buttocks. In the latter two, subcutaneous fat is not considered a health danger; when covering the belly in excessive amounts, it can pose significant health risks.

    Visceral Fat

    • Visceral fat is the deep fat in the internal abdomen and wraps around muscles and organs. This type of fat more than any other contributes to an overly large abdominal measurement. Any measurement above 35 inches in women or 40 inches in men significantly raises the risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and even dementia. This fat can be metabolized by the liver and contributes to high cholesterol.

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