December 24, 2024, 2:54 pm | Read time: 6 minutes

Too much internal abdominal fat, also known as visceral fat, can put your health at risk. What might be rather surprising about it is that it can affect slim bodies just as much as obese ones. Also, because the fat is so close to important organs, it can disrupt their functions – and increase the risk of disease.

Even Slim People Can Have Too Much Internal Abdominal Fat

First and foremost, fat forms a protective layer around the organs, especially the digestive system. It also has the function of keeping the body going, even in times when food is scarce. However, if too much of it accumulates, it can be more dangerous than beneficial for the body. It is often assumed that this fat can only occur in obese people, but this is a misconception. Slim people can also be affected. It is, therefore, independent of external appearance. Due to the misconception (slim = healthy), the increased risk of disease due to fat accumulation is quickly underestimated.

Why Is Visceral Fat Also a Problem for Slim People?

There can be various reasons why too much visceral fat accumulates in the abdominal region. If the body is exposed to many episodes of stress, the body releases a lot of cortisol – the hormone that promotes the storage of fat in the abdomen. However, well-known factors such as an unhealthy diet – too much sugar or fat in the daily diet – can also lead to this. Another factor is lack of exercise.

However, studies show that the genetic component plays a significant role. Visceral fat is much more genetically predetermined than subcutaneous fat. In this case, this means that some people store fat in the abdominal area more easily than others^.1 According to figures from the RKI, 34 percent of adults (31 percent men and 37 percent women) are affected by so-called “abdominal obesity”^.2

Although an excessive accumulation of visceral fat cannot be recognized at first glance, there are indications. Lean people with an excessively high percentage often have slightly more fat accumulated in the abdominal region, especially in comparison to the other parts of the body, which then tend to be leaner. The waist circumference often provides an initial indication: for men, a circumference of 94 cm or more is considered risky, and for women, 80 cm or more^.3 However, medical methods to determine the percentage are, of course, more reliable, e.g. using bioimpedance analysis. Visceral fat can also be visualized using imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging.

A High Proportion of Visceral Fat Despite Being Slim – What’s the Problem?

So it can affect slim and obese people alike – but what exactly causes this type of fat in the body? Or, to put it more directly, what is the problem? Too much visceral fat can cause diseases and feed them. Visceral fat releases messenger substances into the bloodstream that can promote the development of various diseases. These include fatty liver, type 2 diabetes, hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis), cardiovascular diseases, as well as neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or dementia. Studies even suggest that visceral fat can increase the risk of certain types of cancer^.4

Visceral Fat Has a Pro-Inflammatory Effect and Can Cause Hormonal Imbalances – Even in Lean Bodies

Inflammation is a central process in the body that actually serves to protect against bacteria or other foreign bodies. Visceral fat produces hormones that promote inflammatory processes. Sounds helpful at first, but if this process in the body gets out of balance – as is the case when there is too much abdominal fat – chronic inflammation develops. This creates the ideal breeding ground for chronic diseases. The pro-inflammatory substances released by visceral fatty tissue can – as studies have shown and already indicated above – stimulate the growth of tumors^.5

Internal abdominal fat can even have a negative impact on the brain. A study from 2023 came to the conclusion that visceral fat could be associated with inflammation and amyloid accumulation in the brains of middle-aged men and women^.6 It therefore appears to promote factors that are in turn associated with the development of dementia. Hormonal imbalances can also occur due to the high proportion of visceral fat, as the fat also influences estrogen and testosterone levels^.7 So, if there is too much visceral fat, hormone regulation is also disrupted.

What makes fat in the abdomen particularly dangerous for slim people is the fact that the high-fat content is not so obviously recognizable and, therefore, often underestimated or undetected. However, the disadvantages and risks are the same.

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What Can Be Done About It?

In order to strive for a reduction, it is, of course, first necessary to talk to a doctor. Regular physical activity, good sleep (high-quality sleep is essential for hormone regulation and fat burning), and a balanced diet can also help.

Studies show that a combination of endurance and strength training is particularly beneficial when it comes to fighting visceral fat^.8 A diet rich in fiber, vegetables and protein and low in sugar and simple carbohydrates can also help. There are also diets that have been shown to be particularly suitable in studies. In a large-scale clinical intervention study, which ran for 18 months and involved 294 test subjects, the green Mediterranean diet was tested. Compared to classic diets, the analyses showed that the green Mediterranean diet could reduce visceral fat by 14 percent^.9

Current results from the “NutriAct” competence cluster for nutrition research also show that a dietary pattern with a high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids can reduce visceral fat tissue^.10 This means that this diet could improve the cardiometabolic risk in older people.

The accumulation of fat in the abdominal area is, therefore, not only disturbing but also dangerous. Moreover, even slim people are not protected from it.