You might feel healthy, fit, and even fall within a “normal” weight range — yet still carry a dangerous kind of body fat that silently harms your heart.
Recent research reveals that visceral fat, the fat stored deep inside your abdomen around vital organs, may accelerate heart and blood-vessel aging, increasing long-term cardiovascular risk.
Unlike the fat that lies just under your skin (subcutaneous fat), visceral fat is more metabolically active — and more harmful. It triggers inflammation, disrupts hormones, and raises “bad” cholesterol levels that damage arteries over time.
Visceral Fat and Heart Aging: What the Study Found
A new study published in the European Heart Journal analyzed imaging scans from over 21,000 adults in the UK Biobank. Using advanced AI, researchers evaluated each participant’s heart and blood-vessel health and assigned them a “heart age.”
The results were striking:
Those whose heart age exceeded their actual age had notably higher levels of visceral fat.
Visceral fat appears to increase inflammation and insulin resistance, two key drivers of cardiovascular aging. It also promotes plaque buildup in arteries, leading to stiffer blood vessels and higher heart-disease risk.
Lead author Declan O’Regan, PhD, noted that individuals with higher visceral fat levels showed clear biological signs of premature heart aging — even if their body-mass index (BMI) was in a “healthy” range.
Why Location of Body Fat Matters More Than Weight
Traditional weight metrics like BMI don’t tell the whole story. Two people with the same BMI can have very different health risks depending on where their fat is stored.
Dr. Nour Makarem of Columbia University emphasized that “people should pay attention not only to how much fat they have, but where it’s distributed.”
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Subcutaneous fat (under the skin) is relatively harmless and sometimes protective.
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Visceral fat, stored deep in the abdomen, releases inflammatory chemicals and increases the risk of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.
This means someone who appears “slim” can still have high visceral fat — a condition sometimes called TOFI (“thin on the outside, fat on the inside”).
Fitness Level Can Protect Against Fat-Related Aging
Interestingly, researchers also found that physically fit individuals with obesity had a younger cardiovascular age than unfit people of normal weight.
Regular exercise helps the body store fat in safer subcutaneous areas rather than deep visceral regions. It also improves insulin sensitivity, reduces inflammation, and keeps arteries more flexible.
A 2024 study showed that people who exercised consistently had less harmful visceral fat, even if they were overweight.
Gender Differences: Men vs. Women
Fat distribution — and its impact on heart aging — varies by sex:
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Men tend to accumulate fat around the belly (“apple shape”), which strongly predicts early heart aging.
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Women, especially premenopausal women, usually carry more fat around the hips and thighs (“pear shape”), which may actually protect the heart by releasing anti-inflammatory compounds.
Hormones play a role too. Men’s visceral fat increases sharply with age — roughly 8.2% per decade, compared with 5.3% in women.
Higher estrogen levels appear to guard women’s cardiovascular systems before menopause, slowing fat-related heart aging.
How To Know If You Have Too Much Visceral Fat
Because visceral fat is hidden deep inside the abdomen, you can’t pinch it or see it — which makes it tricky to measure.
The most accurate tools are MRI or DEXA scans, but they’re costly and rarely covered by insurance.
According to Dr. Carl Lavie, a preventive-cardiology expert at Ochsner Health, you can estimate visceral-fat risk using two simple metrics:
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Waist circumference — Men above 40 inches (102 cm) and women above 35 inches (88 cm) are at higher risk.
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Triglyceride levels — High readings often indicate excess visceral fat and insulin resistance.
Even if your BMI is “normal,” an expanding waistline can signal growing internal fat deposits.
How To Reduce Visceral Fat
While eating healthier helps, research shows that exercise — not diet alone — is the most effective way to target visceral fat.
Exercise is key
A 2022 study found that combining high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with steady-state aerobic exercise produced the greatest visceral-fat reduction.
Diet still matters
A 2023 paper showed that cutting calories alone had limited impact, but low-carb diets or intermittent fasting promoted greater visceral-fat loss.
For best results, combine both strategies:
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30–45 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity most days
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Balanced meals emphasizing lean proteins, vegetables, and healthy fats
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Adequate sleep and stress management, which regulate cortisol (a hormone that drives belly-fat storage)
Healthy Habits That Protect Your Heart From Within
Reducing visceral fat isn’t just about looking fit — it’s about slowing your heart’s biological clock.
Simple habits can help:
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Move every day — even brisk walking counts.
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Avoid excess sugar and refined carbs, which increase insulin resistance.
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Choose healthy fats, like olive oil, nuts, and avocados.
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Limit alcohol and processed foods, both linked to fat accumulation.
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Get regular check-ups to track cholesterol, blood pressure, and waist size.
Even small improvements in visceral-fat levels can lower your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and premature aging.
The Takeaway
You don’t need to be overweight for visceral fat to threaten your health.
Where your body stores fat matters far more than how much you weigh.
Visceral fat silently accelerates heart aging by increasing inflammation and damaging arteries.
But through consistent exercise, smart eating, and active lifestyle choices, you can turn back your heart’s clock — one healthy habit at a time.
