Causes of body fat
So what?
Carrying excess body fat can have negative impacts on your health and wellbeing. Reducing your body fat percentage can lead to improvements in areas such as increased energy levels, better mobility and joint health, reduced risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes and potentially even a boost in confidence and self-esteem. As you embark on your journey to reduce body fat, it’s important to understand the different types: visceral fat (stored around vital organs), subcutaneous fat (stored under the skin), and brown fat (which generates heat to help burn calories). In this blog series, we’ll explore the causes of harmful visceral and subcutaneous fat as well as the healthy brown fat.
Visceral fat
Visceral fat, also known as intra-abdominal fat, is the dangerous type of fat that accumulates around your abdominal organs like the liver, pancreas and intestines. This deep belly fat is closely linked to an increased risk of serious health issues such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. Several factors contribute to higher levels of visceral fat, including a sedentary lifestyle, a diet high in refined carbs and saturated fats, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of sleep, stress and genetics. As you age, visceral fat can also increase due to hormonal changes. Tackling visceral fat requires a multi-pronged approach of regular exercise, a nutrient-dense diet, stress management and getting quality sleep.
Subcutaneous Fat
Subcutaneous fat, also known as peripheral fat, is the type of fat that accumulates just under the skin. While not as harmful as visceral fat, subcutaneous fat can still lead to cosmetic concerns and potential health issues like decreased mobility and joint pain when present in excess. The main causes of higher subcutaneous fat levels are a calorie surplus from consuming more calories than you burn, lack of physical activity, hormonal factors like low testosterone or high cortisol levels, genetic predisposition and certain medications. Poor sleep, high stress and insulin resistance can also contribute. While some subcutaneous fat is normal and healthy, excessive amounts can increase your risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes and metabolic
What now?
- Come back next week to find out about how to increase your brown fat.