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This study was supported by Università degli Studi di Milano, Ospedale San Paolo and Istituto Multimedica, Milan, Italy.

Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Cattedra di Medicina Interna, Università degli Studi di Milano, Ospedale San Paolo, Milan, Italy. Dipartimento di Chirurgia, Istituto Multimedica, Milan, Italy.

You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar. Correspondence to A E Pontiroli. Supplementary Information accompanies this paper on International Journal of Obesity website. Reprints and permissions. Merlotti, C. et al. Subcutaneous fat loss is greater than visceral fat loss with diet and exercise, weight-loss promoting drugs and bariatric surgery: a critical review and meta-analysis.

Int J Obes 41 , — Download citation. Received : 28 July Revised : 30 December Accepted : 20 January Published : 02 February Issue Date : May Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:.

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European Journal of Clinical Nutrition Skip to main content Thank you for visiting nature. nature international journal of obesity review article. Subjects Biostatistics Epidemiology Nutrition disorders. Abstract Aim of this review is to compare visceral and subcutaneous fat loss with all available strategies diet and exercise, weight-loss promoting agents and bariatric surgery.

Access through your institution. Buy or subscribe. Change institution. Learn more. Figure 1. Figure 2. References Janseen I, Katzmarzyk PT, Ross R.

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PubMed Google Scholar Dadson P, Landini L, Helmio M, Hannukainen JC, Immanen H, Honka MJ et al. An older study found that people with a lot of visceral fat, or the kind not visible from the outside, were more likely to die when they had less subcutaneous fat. This means that people who have less visible fat are, at least in some cases, at a greater risk of death.

Other studies have reached similar conclusions. This evidence suggests that subcutaneous fat may protect the health of people who have lots of visceral fat. Dieters must often pick a side in the low-carb vs.

low-fat diet question, but how can they know which is best for them? A new study weighs in. Brown adipose tissue BAT , or brown fat, is one of two types of fat. Scientists are looking at whether increasing brown fat may reduce obesity. A new study flies in the face of popular opinion.

The authors conclude that dieting is, in fact, a risk factor for putting on excess weight. Losing belly fat is a common goal. In this article, we look at some natural ways of achieving it.

Various diet and exercise adjustments can help. Researchers say bariatric surgery can help with weight loss, but it can also help improve cognitive functions including memory. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health?

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Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Ways to lose subcutaneous fat. Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M. Causes Difficulty to lose Strategies to shed Connection to health Subcutaneous fat is fat that is visible just under the skin. What causes it and why is it hard to lose?

Why is it so hard to lose? Strategies for shedding subcutaneous fat. Subcutaneous fat and health. How we reviewed this article: Sources.

Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations.

We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles.

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Belly fat also includes visceral fat. And that lies deep inside the abdomen and surrounds the internal organs. For women, a waist measurement of more than 35 inches 89 centimeters signals an unhealthy amount of belly fat and a greater risk of health problems.

In general, though, the greater the waist measurement, the higher the health risks. You can strengthen and tone abdominal muscles with crunches or other exercises focused on your belly.

But doing those exercises alone won't get rid of belly fat. The good news is that visceral fat responds to the same diet and exercise strategies that can help get rid of other extra pounds and lower total body fat.

Try these tips:. Losing belly fat takes effort and patience. To lose extra fat and keep it from coming back, aim for slow and steady weight loss. Ask your health care provider for help getting started and staying on track.

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Products and services. Belly fat in women: Taking — and keeping — it off What does your waistline say about your health? By Mayo Clinic Staff. Enlarge image Belly fat Close. Belly fat Subcutaneous fat is belly fat you can feel if you pinch extra skin and tissue around your middle.

Thank you for subscribing! Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry. Show references Perreault L. It can cause discomfort as individuals must completely submerge under water including the head, and then exhale completely before obtaining the reading.

This method uses a similar principle to underwater weighing but can be done in the air instead of in water. It is expensive but accurate, quick, and comfortable for those who prefer not to be submerged in water. Individuals drink isotope-labeled water and give body fluid samples.

Researchers analyze these samples for isotope levels, which are then used to calculate total body water, fat-free body mass, and in turn, body fat mass. X-ray beams pass through different body tissues at different rates. DEXA uses two low-level X-ray beams to develop estimates of fat-free mass, fat mass, and bone mineral density.

It cannot distinguish between subcutaneous and visceral fat, cannot be used in persons sensitive to radiation e. These two imaging techniques are now considered to be the most accurate methods for measuring tissue, organ, and whole-body fat mass as well as lean muscle mass and bone mass.

However, CT and MRI scans are typically used only in research settings because the equipment is extremely expensive and cannot be moved. CT scans cannot be used with pregnant women or children, due to exposure to ionizing radiation, and certain MRI and CT scanners may not be able to accommodate individuals with a BMI of 35 or higher.

Some studies suggest that the connection between body mass index and premature death follows a U-shaped curve. The problem is that most of these studies included smokers and individuals with early, but undetected, chronic and fatal diseases. Cigarette smokers as a group weigh less than nonsmokers, in part because smoking deadens the appetite.

Potentially deadly chronic diseases such as cancer, emphysema, kidney failure, and heart failure can cause weight loss even before they cause symptoms and have been diagnosed. Instead, low weight is often the result of illnesses or habits that may be fatal.

Many epidemiologic studies confirm that increasing weight is associated with increasing disease risk. The American Cancer Society fielded two large long-term Cancer Prevention Studies that included more than one million adults who were followed for at least 12 years.

Both studies showed a clear pattern of increasing mortality with increasing weight. According to the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans a body mass index below But some people live long, healthy lives with a low body mass index.

But if you start losing weight without trying, discuss with your doctor the reasons why this could be happening. Learn more about maintaining a healthy weight. The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The Nutrition Source does not recommend or endorse any products. Skip to content The Nutrition Source.

The Nutrition Source Menu. Search for:. Home Nutrition News What Should I Eat? Role of Body Fat We may not appreciate body fat, especially when it accumulates in specific areas like our bellies or thighs. Types of Body Fat Fat tissue comes in white, brown, beige, and even pink. Types Brown fat — Infants carry the most brown fat, which keeps them warm.

It is stimulated by cold temperatures to generate heat. The amount of brown fat does not change with increased calorie intake, and those who have overweight or obesity tend to carry less brown fat than lean persons. White fat — These large round cells are the most abundant type and are designed for fat storage, accumulating in the belly, thighs, and hips.

They secrete more than 50 types of hormones, enzymes, and growth factors including leptin and adiponectin, which helps the liver and muscles respond better to insulin a blood sugar regulator. But if there are excessive white cells, these hormones are disrupted and can cause the opposite effect of insulin resistance and chronic inflammation.

Beige fat — This type of white fat can be converted to perform similar traits as brown fat, such as being able to generate heat with exposure to cold temperatures or during exercise.

Pink fat — This type of white fat is converted to pink during pregnancy and lactation, producing and secreting breast milk.

Essential fat — This type may be made up of brown, white, or beige fat and is vital for the body to function normally. It is found in most organs, muscles, and the central nervous system including the brain. It helps to regulate hormones like estrogen, insulin, cortisol, and leptin; control body temperature; and assist in the absorption of vitamins and minerals.

Very high amounts of subcutaneous fat can increase the risk of disease, though not as significantly as visceral fat.

Having a lot of visceral fat is linked with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. It may secrete inflammatory chemicals called cytokines that promote insulin resistance.

How do I get rid of belly fat? Losing weight can help, though people tend to lose weight pretty uniformly throughout the body rather than in one place. However, a long-term commitment to following exercise guidelines along with eating balanced portion-controlled meals can help to reduce dangerous visceral fat.

Also effective is avoiding sugary beverages that are strongly associated with excessive weight gain in children and adults.

Bioelectric Impedance BIA BIA equipment sends a small, imperceptible, safe electric current through the body, measuring the resistance. Underwater Weighing Densitometry or Hydrostatic Weighing Individuals are weighed on dry land and then again while submerged in a water tank.

Air-Displacement Plethysmography This method uses a similar principle to underwater weighing but can be done in the air instead of in water. Dilution Method Hydrometry Individuals drink isotope-labeled water and give body fluid samples.

Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry DEXA X-ray beams pass through different body tissues at different rates. Diabetes Care ; 22 : — Janseen I, Ross R. Effects of sex on the change in visceral, subcutaneous adipose tissue and skeletan muscle in response to weight loss.

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