Visceral fat and its hidden dangers

Visceral fat is a type of body fat that accumulates around internal organs, such as the liver and intestines. Unlike subcutaneous fat, which is visible under the skin, visceral fat is not always noticeable and may not cause immediate symptoms, but it is linked to serious health risks.

Diagnosing visceral fat

Visceral fat cannot be accurately identified by appearance or standard weight measurements like BMI. A person might have a "normal" BMI but still carry dangerous levels of visceral fat, which can increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Waist circumference as an indicator

The French Health Insurance system highlights that waist circumference is a key indicator of visceral fat. For women, a waist measurement of 80 cm or more and for men, 94 cm or more, is considered a sign of increased cardiometabolic risk.

Medical context and lifestyle

While these thresholds are useful, they do not replace a full medical evaluation, especially if there are other risk factors such as high blood pressure or a family history of heart disease. The focus should be on monitoring simple indicators and gradually adjusting lifestyle habits for better health.