how our stored fat harms our health

To be clear, excess body fat is problematic no matter what its location. Obesity creates a state of low-grade chronic inflammation, and inflammation is a key component of some of our most common diseases and leading causes of death, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

As fat tissue grows, more pro-inflammatory compounds are produced, elevating the risk of these diseases. Visceral fat is thought to be more harmful to health than subcutaneous fat; more biologically active and more pro-inflammatory. Visceral fat specifically is linked to cardiovascular risk factors, such as increased circulating triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol.