Belly Fat

Having some fat in your belly is normal. After all fat is there to protect and insulate your body. Nevertheless, having too much belly fat maybe harmful to your health and increase your risk of developing certain chronic diseases.

There are two main types of belly fat — Subcutaneous belly fat one (found under your skin) and visceral belly fat (found deeper inside your abdomen, surrounding your vital organs.

• “Subcutaneous fat” Is the fat you see sometimes wiggling on your belly. Women general have more subcutaneous fat than men. You may have heard the term “muffin top”.

• Subcutaneous fat isn’t as strongly linked to increased health risks. However, having too much body fat, in general, including belly fat may increase your risk of developing some chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.

Visceral belly fat, is the fat that surrounds your organs such as kidneys, liver and pancreas. Visceral fat is much more metabolically active than subcutaneous fat and contains more cells, blood vessels, and nerves.  Visceral fat has a higher health risk and is strongly linked to increased inflammation and resistance to insulin.

Men are more likely to accumulate visceral fat than women, which is why men are more likely to develop an “apple-shaped” figure as belly fat grows. Women on the other hand, are more likely to develop excess fat in the lower body, leading to a “pear” shape