Having belly fat not only poses aesthetic concerns, but also affects a person's health by elevating the risk of diabetes, stroke and heart disease. According to a new study, higher amounts of visceral abdominal fat in the middle ages raises the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Visceral fat is a hidden fat found deep within a person's abdominal cavity that wraps the internal organs, including the liver and intestines. Some levels of visceral fat help to protect the organs, but too much of it is a sign of metabolic syndrome associated with high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol and insulin resistance. Visceral fat gets stored when a person eats too many calories and takes too little exercise.
