Based on observations by PhD Chris Mohr, MD Rekha Kumar, and other studies.

Not all body fat is created equal. While some is harmless, the visceral fat around your organs poses serious health risks, according to medical experts.

MD Rekha Kumar said, “The reason visceral fat matters is it is highly inflammatory.” Visceral fat can give rise to issues like low testosterone, high blood sugar, snoring, and more. She further added, “As you accumulate visceral fat, you're probably slowly accumulating fat around other organs, like the esophagus and the trachea.”

A study published on the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research found that high visceral fat in men is linked to a 3x higher chance of dementia. Dr. Chris Mohr revealed that this excess unhealthy fat increases the risk of other dangeruors disease. Other studies linked higher visceral fat with asthma and several other cancers. 

The most precise way to assess visceral fat is with a DEXA scan or CT. But one cost-effective method is the “waist-to-hip ratio.” Dr. Rekha Kumar told GQ, “For a man, we don't want it over one, meaning we don't want the waist to have a larger circumference than the hips. Low health risk is 0.95 or lower. And then high health risk is one or higher.”

So, how can you reduce this dangerous fat safely and efficiently?.

The Four Steps to Reduce Visceral Fat

High intensity training

Studies have shown that weight training is one of the best ways to reduce waist circumference. HIIT running and a moderate-to-vigorous aerobic workout are also very helpful in reducing overall body fat.

High protein and low calories

Eat a low-calorie diet and a high-protein diet, with about 0.7-1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. Dr. Chris Mohr added, “Fibre will really help fill you up. In terms of body fat, when you're more satiated, then you can ultimately take in fewer calories.”

Getting good sleep

According to a study by Panagiotis Giannos published in the Sleep Medicine journal, the less sleep there is, the stronger the inverse relationship with visceral fat. So, getting around 8 hours of sleep regularly is crucial

Avoiding ultra-processed food

Packed snacks and food items contain high trans fat, sodium, and sugar. This mix of three makes weight loss hard.  

What other methods did you follow in your fat loss journey? Tell us in the comments.

Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi