LIFESTYLE NEWS - Deep inside the abdomen, fat can accumulate around vital organs including the heart, liver, pancreas and intestines.
Known as visceral fat, this biologically active tissue can release hormones and inflammatory substances that interfere with normal bodily functions and increase the risk of serious health problems.
According to Dr Gerhard Vosloo, Founder and Head Consulting Practitioner at Dr GL Vosloo Medical Practice, managed by BioWell, visceral fat is one of the most significant hidden metabolic health risks a person can carry.
“Everyone has visceral fat, and a normal amount is useful. We need some of it to store energy and help protect our organs. The problem starts when too much builds up,” he says.
“That excess can interfere with how the body works and raises the risk of insulin resistance, inflammation, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.”
Visceral fat can increase disease risk
The health risks associated with excess visceral fat extend beyond weight gain.
An analysis of more than 824,000 people found that those with the highest levels of visceral fat had a 55% higher risk of cardiovascular disease and a 45% higher risk of stroke compared with those with the lowest levels.
Other research has linked high visceral fat levels to substantially increased risks of fatty liver disease, while fat accumulation in the pancreas has also been associated with a higher risk of acute pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.
How can you reduce visceral fat?
There is no single solution for reducing excess visceral fat, says Vosloo.
Instead, a combination of healthy eating, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, limiting alcohol and addressing underlying metabolic problems can make a significant difference.
Where clinically appropriate, doctor-prescribed medication may also form part of a comprehensive weight and metabolic-management programme.
Vosloo recommends that people concerned about visceral fat consult a healthcare professional who can assess their overall metabolic health rather than focusing solely on their weight or appearance.
1. What should I eat to improve my metabolic health?
A sustainable eating pattern is more important than a short-term diet.
An appropriate approach should support healthy fat loss while providing sufficient protein and fibre, managing overall calorie intake and reducing highly processed foods and excess sugar.
The right eating plan will differ from person to person, making individual assessment important.
2. Which exercise is best for visceral fat?
Regular physical activity can help reduce visceral fat and improve metabolic health.
Aerobic exercise can help with fat loss, while resistance training can help preserve or build muscle.
Combining both types of exercise is generally more effective than relying on only one.
People who are new to exercise should start at an appropriate level and gradually increase their activity.
3. Could poor sleep or alcohol be contributing?
Diet and exercise are not the only factors that influence metabolic health.
Frequent alcohol consumption and inadequate sleep can make weight management more difficult and may contribute to poorer metabolic health.
These factors should therefore form part of the conversation when assessing excess visceral fat.
4. Could an underlying metabolic problem be involved?
Excess visceral fat can occur alongside conditions such as insulin resistance, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and abnormal cholesterol levels.
Appropriate medical testing can help identify these problems and determine whether they are contributing to a person's metabolic risk.
5. Could medication help?
Prescription medication may be considered for some patients when lifestyle changes alone are not sufficient.
Vosloo says doctors at his practice only prescribe weight-management medication, including compounded GLP-1 treatments, where medically necessary and appropriate.
These treatments can support overall fat loss by improving appetite control and metabolic regulation. However, no medication specifically targets visceral fat, meaning treatment should form part of a broader approach to addressing the factors contributing to its accumulation.
“The goal is to reduce the amount of dangerous fat around the organs, but we also need to understand why it built up in the first place,” says Vosloo.
“For one person, insulin resistance may play a major role. For another, it could be diet, inactivity, poor sleep, hormonal changes, or several factors together.”
You cannot always see visceral fat
One of the challenges with visceral fat is that it cannot be reliably judged by appearance alone.
A person can appear relatively healthy while still carrying excess fat around their internal organs.
Vosloo says healthcare professionals can consider a combination of factors, including waist measurements, body composition, blood pressure, blood-sugar control, cholesterol and other metabolic markers, to build a clearer picture of an individual's risk.
“Visceral fat is an issue we can do something about. Once we know it’s there and understand what is contributing to it, we can design the right combination of interventions to start bringing patients’ health risk down and build towards real long-term positive change,” he says.
The message is clear: managing visceral fat is not simply about looking slimmer. It is about improving metabolic health and reducing the long-term risk associated with excess fat around the body's vital organs.
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