What is visceral fat?

Visceral fat is fat stored inside your abdominal cavity, surrounding organs like the liver, pancreas, and intestines. It is metabolically active and releases inflammatory compounds. Even people who appear slim can have high visceral fat levels.

What waist measurement indicates high visceral fat?

For men, a waist circumference above 94 cm indicates increased risk, and above 102 cm indicates high risk. For women, above 80 cm is increased risk and above 88 cm is high risk. These are the thresholds used by the Australian Heart Foundation.

How do I reduce visceral fat?

Visceral fat responds well to aerobic exercise - aim for 150+ minutes of moderate activity per week. Reduce refined carbohydrates and alcohol, manage stress (cortisol promotes visceral fat storage), and get 7-9 hours of sleep. Strength training also helps.

Is visceral fat worse than subcutaneous fat?

Yes. Visceral fat is more metabolically dangerous because it releases fatty acids and inflammatory markers directly into the portal vein leading to the liver. It is more strongly linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers than subcutaneous fat.

Visceral Fat Calculator

Visceral fat is the hidden fat stored deep in your abdomen around vital organs. Unlike subcutaneous fat you can pinch, visceral fat is a major risk factor for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. This calculator estimates your visceral fat level using waist circumference, age, and gender.

Enter Your Details

Gender

Age

years

Waist circumference

Measure at navel level while standing

Height (optional)

For waist-to-height ratio

How It Works

Visceral fat is estimated on a scale of 1 to 59 using your waist circumference, age, and gender. A score of 1-12 is considered healthy, 13-59 indicates elevated visceral fat and increased health risk. Waist circumference is the strongest predictor of visceral fat without imaging, and the score accounts for the natural increase in visceral fat with age.

Quick Reference

Score Range	Level	Health Risk
1-5	Low	Minimal health risk
6-9	Normal	Low health risk
10-12	Healthy upper	Low-moderate risk
13-15	Elevated	Moderate health risk
16-20	High	Increased health risk
21-30	Very high	Significant health risk
31-45	Dangerous	High health risk
46-59	Critical	Very high health risk

Scores 1-12 are considered healthy. Scores above 12 indicate excess visceral fat and elevated health risk. Waist circumference thresholds from the Australian Heart Foundation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is visceral fat?: Visceral fat is fat stored inside your abdominal cavity, surrounding organs like the liver, pancreas, and intestines. It is metabolically active and releases inflammatory compounds. Even people who appear slim can have high visceral fat levels.
What waist measurement indicates high visceral fat?: For men, a waist circumference above 94 cm indicates increased risk, and above 102 cm indicates high risk. For women, above 80 cm is increased risk and above 88 cm is high risk. These are the thresholds used by the Australian Heart Foundation.
How do I reduce visceral fat?: Visceral fat responds well to aerobic exercise - aim for 150+ minutes of moderate activity per week. Reduce refined carbohydrates and alcohol, manage stress (cortisol promotes visceral fat storage), and get 7-9 hours of sleep. Strength training also helps.
Is visceral fat worse than subcutaneous fat?: Yes. Visceral fat is more metabolically dangerous because it releases fatty acids and inflammatory markers directly into the portal vein leading to the liver. It is more strongly linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers than subcutaneous fat.

Visceral Fat Score Estimation

Score based on waist circumference, age, and gender Waist Risk Thresholds (Australian Heart Foundation): Men: < 94 cm (low), 94-102 cm (increased), > 102 cm (high) Women: < 80 cm (low), 80-88 cm (increased), > 88 cm (high)

Waist: = waist circumference in cm, measured at navel level
Age: = age in years (visceral fat increases with age)

Accurate visceral fat measurement requires CT or MRI imaging. This calculator provides an estimate based on the strongest non-imaging predictor: waist circumference.

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BMI Calculator

Calculate your Body Mass Index using metric measurements (kg and cm) to check if your weight is in a healthy range.

Disclaimer

This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Individual results may vary based on factors not captured by these formulas. Consult a healthcare professional before making changes to your diet or exercise routine, especially if you have any existing health conditions.