Visceral fat is sometimes very difficult to detect...

At Ukmedix News we have come across research that shows that some people may appear to be of a normal weight but in fact are hiding large amounts of fatty tissue around their vital organs like the heart and the liver. This sort of fat is called visceral fat and is sometimes very difficult to detect.

In order to detect this type of fat special BMI scans are needed. A recent research project that looked at 800 men and women saw that a large proportion of them have visceral fat around their heart and lungs despite appearing on the outside to be of a normal weight. In fact the results show that 45 percent of females and 60 percent of males who had a normal BMI score of between twenty and twenty five had too much fat on the inside of their bodies. This could mean that these people despite looking healthy could be in a high risk bracket for diabetes and heart disease.

Researchers admit that they are not 100 percent sure exactly how bad this visceral fat is for you but it does open up avenues of inquiry as to how people develop this fat and how to get rid of it. Interestingly the researchers said that this visceral fat tends to be more prevalent in people who control their body mass with diet as opposed to exercise. Exercise his important because it trains all the muscles including the heart and lung muscles and keeps them in good shape. The researchers said that some people who have fat on the outside of their bodies but have healthy hearts and lungs could be more healthy then some others who appear to be thin but have fatty deposits around their organs.

People who are Thin on the Outside and Fat on the Inside are being nicknamed TOFI’s. And as the old saying goes, “It’s what’s on the inside that counts” : )