Prevention/illnesses | 25.11.2025
How to lose belly fat: expert tips on combating visceral fat
Belly fat, also known as abdominal fat, is dangerous as it can cause multiple medical conditions. For example, people with too much visceral fat around their waistline are at a heightened risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. But when does the level of fat become dangerous and what is the quickest way to burn visceral belly fat through healthy eating and exercise? Dr Philipp Nett joins fitness coach and dietician Savo Hertig to offer key information and tips.
What types of belly fat are there?
Body fat generally has a purpose: it protects our organs, insulates us against the cold and played a vital role for our ancestors by storing calories for times when food was scarce. Today, in the developed world, this storage is no longer necessary.
When describing belly fat in medical terms, a differentiation is made between visceral and subcutaneous fat.
Visceral fat
Visceral fat is found in the abdominal cavity and surrounds the internal organs, including the liver, intestines, pancreas and kidneys.
Subcutaneous fat
Subcutaneous fat is located directly below the skin. It is not only found in the stomach area but also in all other areas of the body, especially around the hips in women.
What causes belly or abdominal fat?
A person’s tendency to store fat around their waistline partly depends on their body shape. “Despite having similar BMIs, abdominally obese men with an ‘apple’ body shape tend to have more visceral fat than women with a ‘pear’ body shape,” explains Dr Philipp Nett. There are also different belly shapes which differ in the distribution of belly fat.
