Marla Ahlgrimm: Visceral Fat and Women's Health

As women, we often get caught up in the idea that our body mass index (BMI) is the one number we need to know to evaluate our overall health. According to Marla Ahlgrimm, that's not the case. A woman's health is determined by multiple factors, and body fat distribution is one of them. Today, the women's healthcare expert explains what visceral fat is and why it matters for women.

What Is Visceral Fat?

There are two main types of fat in the body: visceral fat and subcutaneous fat.

Marla Ahlgrimm explains that subcutaneous fat is the fat you can pinch underneath your skin. It's essentially the fat that jiggles when you walk. In contrast, visceral fat is stored deeper within the abdomen, where it surrounds organs such as the liver, intestines, and pancreas.

You can't see visceral fat, and you can't determine how much someone has by looking at their BMI alone. A woman can have a perfectly healthy BMI while still carrying an unhealthy amount of visceral fat.

Why Does Visceral Fat Matter?

Visceral fat matters because it's more than just stored body fat. It is metabolically active, meaning it releases substances that can increase inflammation and contribute to insulin resistance and other metabolic changes.

Marla Ahlgrimm cautions that women with higher amounts of visceral fat may be at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, and metabolic syndrome.