Why Visceral Fat Matters — Especially for Men

When most people think of “belly fat,” they imagine the soft fat just under the skin — but that’s only part of the story. There’s a deeper, more dangerous kind called visceral fat — fat stored inside the abdomen, surrounding vital organs like the liver, pancreas, and intestines.

A little visceral fat is normal and even protective (it cushions organs). But when visceral fat builds up, it becomes “metabolically active”: it disrupts metabolism, promotes inflammation, and significantly raises the risk of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and hormonal disruption.

For men, visceral fat accumulation tends to be more common than for women — in part due to how male bodies store fat. This makes understanding the hormonal roots of visceral fat especially important for men’s health.

Hormones & Body-Fat Distribution: The Male Pattern