Belly Fat: Its Health Risks
Around our midsections, there are two different kinds of fat: subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous – It means under the skin. It is the fat we can see and pinch. But, surprisingly, we need to worry less about subcutaneous fat than we do the visceral stuff. It is often described as a “passive” fat because it functions primarily as a storage repository. Visceral – It means pertaining to the soft organs in the abdomen. It is the fat stored deep in our abdomens around the intestines, kidneys, pancreas and liver. This is the stuff that tends to make our tummies protrude in classic “beer belly” fashion. In contrast, visceral fat is considered very “active” because it functions much like a gland itself. It is programmed to break down and release fatty acids and other hormonal substances that are then directly metabolized by the liver. The fatty acids so produced go directly…