6 science-backed ways to 'get rid' of visceral fat effectively and sustainably

Bridie Wilkins

21 October 2024 at 11:26 am·9-min read

If you've clicked on this, you're probably one of the 1.6k people who Google 'how to get rid of visceral fat' every month. As with pretty much everything in life, this will depend from person to person - your genetics, age, lifestyle, stress levels and sleep routine will all influence how you lose visceral fat, but providing you know how - and you go about it sustainably, studies show that there are things you can do. Read on for our guide.

Meet the expert: Dr Nita Maha is a GP who specialises in women's health and lifestyle medicine.

What is visceral fat?

‘Visceral fat is fat located within your abdominal walls and can lie in spaces between your abdominal organs, such as the liver, intestine and stomach. Some visceral fat is necessary to protect and cushion your organs (it acts a bit like bubble wrap), as well as regulating your energy levels, but too much can cause inflammation which can increase the risk of some diseases. Visceral fat should make up about 10 per cent of your total body fat.’

What is the difference between visceral fat and subcutaneous fat?

‘Visceral fat surrounds your organs and is so deep beneath your abdominal muscles that you can’t see it, meaning that you could have high visceral fat yet have a flat stomach. Subcutaneous fat is found just under the skin and can be pinched between your fingers. Subcutaneous fat is usually visible on your hips, thighs and stomach areas. Excessive amounts of both visceral and subcutaneous fat can be harmful, but visceral fat is likely to be a higher risk for serious health conditions.’

What causes visceral fat?

Lack of exercise:

‘Multiple studies have shown that increasing exercise can reduce visceral fat (also known as visceral adipose tissue - VAT), with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and cardio workouts of moderate duration the most effective types of exercise to do this.

‘How this works is that when you exercise, you increase blood flow to your muscles and fat cells (called adipocytes). This causes these adipocytes to release fatty acids into your blood stream, which are then taken to your active muscles that require them, and your fat cells shrink.'

Stress:

‘Chronic stress can disturb your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) which is responsible for regulating your body’s stress response and hormone balance. When this happens, it can cause excess production of cortisol (the stress hormone), which can lead to visceral fat accumulation.'

Ageing:

‘Ageing is associated with increased fat distribution as we lose muscle mass and our basal metabolic rate (how many calories you burn at rest) reduces. It is reported that ageing is associated with an increase in waist circumference of about 0.7cm per year, and increased waist circumference is associated with an increase in visceral fat.'

Diet:

‘There is some evidence that you can reduce visceral fat by consuming more vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, fibre and copper (copper is essential for breaking down fat cells so that they can be used for energy). Consuming excessive amounts of trans fats, refined sugars, sodium and processed foods, meanwhile, could contribute to visceral fat levels.’

How to get rid of visceral fat

As with everything, don't expect results immediately. A sustainable approach, implementing lifelong habits from the list below, will provide long-term wins.

1.Increase exercise:

‘The recommended guidance from the NHS is 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week. Studies have demonstrated that all types of exercise can be helpful in reducing visceral fat, but some research shows that HIIT and aerobic exercise could be most effective.’

2. Limit stress:

‘Try relaxation techniques such as mindfulness and journalling. Reducing stress causes a reduction in the production of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol can increase visceral fat production as it activates your body’s fight-or-flight response, which triggers storage of visceral fat as it stimulates the release of insulin. When excess insulin and cortisol are in your bloodstream together, they create a fat-storing enzyme known as lipoprotein lipase (LPL). Yoga and Pilates are good exercise options for a calming, stress-reducing effect.’

3. Reduce sugar intake:

‘Overconsumption of processed foods and refined sugars can mean you don’t have enough insulin – a hormone needed to regular blood sugar levels – to regulate your blood sugar levels, which means the excess glucose from these foods gets stored as fat.

‘Be wary of processed foods and read food labels, as many foods contain hidden sugars. Try and reduce carbohydrates which contain sugar, and aim to increase the protein content of your meals, as protein breaks down carbohydrates and sugars more slowly than carbohydrates alone, meaning your blood sugar levels are more stable.

‘Visceral fat reduces your body’s sensitivity to insulin, while it also secretes a protein called retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) which increases your resistance to insulin. This can cause your blood sugar levels to rise, which can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.'

4. Increase consumption of fruit, veg and wholegrains:

‘Diet has a big impact. Fruit, veg and wholegrains have been shown to reduce the deposition of visceral fat as they are rich in fibre and wholegrains are digested slower, meaning you feel fuller for longer.'

5. Reduce alcohol:

‘Excess chronic alcohol intake can negatively affect proteins involved in fat metabolism and cause this fat to be deposited in your liver. Studies have also shown that people who consume higher levels of alcohol are often less physically active, which can increase their risk of visceral fat.'

6. Improve sleep:

‘Studies have shown that poor sleep can lead to an accumulation of visceral fat, since it increases the production of ghrelin – a hormone that makes you feel hunger, and suppresses leptin – the hormone that makes you feel full, while it also slows down your metabolism and increases cortisol levels.

‘Good sleep hygiene includes avoiding electronic devices an hour before bed, sticking to a regular bedtime and avoiding caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime. Exercise can help but it is best to avoid it at least 90 minutes before bedtime since your basal body temperature can remain elevated and a higher temperature can make it harder to fall asleep.’

Health risks of visceral fat

‘Visceral fat can increase your risk of several illnesses. This occurs by putting the body in an inflammatory state.’

Type 2 diabetes:

‘This is a condition where the levels of sugar in your blood become too high, as your body doesn’t make enough insulin or doesn’t use it well, meaning you’re left with excess sugar in your blood.

‘Having high levels of visceral fat can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes as it produces more proinflammatory proteins called cytokines such as TNF alpha and IL-6, which cause insulin resistance and affect the ability to regulate blood sugar levels.’

Cardiovascular disease:

‘Visceral fat can increase your risk of developing a heart attack or stroke. This occurs because the pro-inflammatory proteins TNF alpha and IL-6 can affect the lining of your arteries and increase the risk of atherosclerosis – where fat is deposited in arteries. This fat can lead to blockages in the arteries supplying the heart called coronary arteries which can lead to a heart attack.'

Alzheimer’s disease:

‘Studies have shown that visceral fat could increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The exact mechanism is unknown, but again it is largely though that the inflammatory process of excess fat can drive this.'

Cancer:

‘Colorectal cancer has been associated with an increase in visceral fat. Some studies have shown that the hip/waist ratio rather than total BMI is a greater predictor of increased risk of colorectal cancer. Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) is secreted from visceral fat and can cause cells to become cancerous.'

How to measure visceral fat

It’s useful to be able to measure visceral fat to recognise your risk.

Calculate waist circumference:

‘This can be done by using a tape measure around your waist just above your hips. A waist circumference >35cm for women or 40cm for men could indicate a higher risk of developing health issues due to visceral fat.’

Waist-to-hip ratio:

‘You need to divide your waist circumference by your hip circumference. A ratio of >0.85 for women and 0.9 for men could indicate and increased risk. The shape of your body can help identify whether you have more visceral fat.

‘An ‘apple shape’ is where your waist is almost the same size as your hips, and indicates you have a lot of fat stored around your abdomen. A pear shape is where the hips are larger than the waist, and this indicates that you have more fat stored around your hips and buttocks, which is more likely to be subcutaneous fat.’

Body Mass Index (BMI):

‘This uses your total body weight and height to calculate whether you are overall a healthy weight. Although it is useful to understand how heavy you are, it will not tell you where your fat is located, and therefore cannot differentiate well between subcutaneous and visceral fat. It also cannot differentiate between muscle and fat, although it is likely that the higher your BMI, the more fat you are carrying.’

Smart scales:

‘Often found in the gym, these are machines which measure body fat percentage. They use a technique called bio impedance which uses weak electrical signals through the body to measure the amount of resistance met. Although useful to identify the amount of body fat we have, it doesn’t record where in the body this is, which is less helpful.’

DEXA (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) scan:

‘This is often used to measure bone density for patients with osteoporosis, but it can also be used to measure body fat. It can tell you very accurately how much fat you are carrying and its distribution and is often considered the best test.’

CT/MRI scan:

‘Scans are expensive options, and it can be difficult to access CT and MRI tests. However, they are reliable tests in informing you of the quantity and distribution of fat.’

Read now: How to practise self-compassion and become more confident

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