How to Reduce Visceral Fat? A Complete Guide to Standard Levels and Practical Fat-Loss Methods

Everyone knows that having too much fat is detrimental to health, but do you know what visceral fat is? Unlike subcutaneous fat, it cannot be seen directly, yet it may have a greater impact on the body. What is the standard level of visceral fat? What health risks can it pose? And how can we reduce visceral fat? In this article, 10Life will explain the standard levels of visceral fat and provide effective fat-loss methods to help you maintain an ideal physique and good health.

Visceral fat is fat stored inside the abdominal cavity, surrounding organs such as the liver, kidneys and intestines. An appropriate amount of visceral fat can protect the internal organs, but excessive visceral fat may affect metabolism and increase the risk of chronic diseases. Unlike visceral fat, subcutaneous fat is stored beneath the skin and can be pinched with your fingers. Visceral fat, however, is hidden deep within the body, so it may still be excessive even if your weight is normal. It is therefore important to monitor its accumulation.

Visceral fat is difficult to assess by appearance, so even if you do not look overweight, your visceral fat level may already be excessive. How can you determine whether you have too much visceral fat? And what are the standards for visceral fat? You can use the following three simple methods to measure it, helping you monitor your health, adjust your lifestyle habits in a timely manner and maintain a healthy body shape.

1. Measure your waist circumference

Measuring your waist circumference is one of the simplest ways to assess visceral fat. First, prepare a tape measure. When measuring, stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart, breathe naturally and do not deliberately pull in your abdomen. Wrap the tape measure around your navel, ensuring that it is in contact with your skin without pressing into it, and then check whether your waist circumference exceeds the recommended limit:

• Women: a waist circumference exceeding 89 centimetres (approximately 35 inches) indicates a high level of visceral fat
• Men: a waist circumference exceeding 102 centimetres (approximately 40 inches) indicates a high level of visceral fat
  If your waist circumference exceeds the recommended limit, this may indicate excessive body fat. You should start adjusting your diet and exercise habits. It is recommended that you measure twice and use the value that is closest to the other measurement to ensure accuracy.

2. Calculate your waist-to-hip ratio

Although measuring waist circumference is simple, the recommended standard may vary between people with different body shapes. For a more precise assessment, you can calculate your waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) to evaluate your visceral fat level.
Calculation: waist circumference ÷ hip circumference = waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)

• Women: a waist-to-hip ratio above 0.85 indicates abdominal obesity
• Men: a waist-to-hip ratio above 0.90 indicates abdominal obesity

A high waist-to-hip ratio indicates greater accumulation of visceral fat and a higher health risk. For example, some people may not have a waist circumference that exceeds the recommended limit, but their waist-to-hip ratio may still be too high. This indicates that fat is mainly accumulated around the abdomen, resulting in an “apple-shaped” body, and is associated with a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

3. Measure visceral fat using a body fat scale 

For more accurate data, you can use a body fat scale, such as a smart body fat scale, to measure your visceral fat level. At present, most private gyms and some Leisure and Cultural Services Department fitness centres provide this type of measurement equipment. Some smart body fat scales for home use also have a visceral fat measurement function, making it convenient to monitor your visceral fat level at any time.

You can refer to the following visceral fat standard table:
1–9: normal range
10–14: high visceral fat
15 or above: excessively high visceral fat

If your visceral fat level exceeds the recommended limit, it may cause metabolic abnormalities and increase the risk of chronic diseases. Therefore, if your measurement shows that your visceral fat level is too high, you should actively manage your health, adjust your dietary habits and increase your level of physical activity to help reduce visceral fat.

Excess visceral fat not only affects body shape, but may also affect your health. When visceral fat levels are too high, this may indicate a risk of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome can cause a range of health problems, such as high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol and insulin resistance, thereby increasing the risk of stroke, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

In addition, excess visceral fat may increase the likelihood of developing the following health problems:

• Memory loss, increasing the risk of dementia
• Certain types of cancer
• Asthma and breathing problems
• Liver disease, gallbladder disease or gout
• Infertility
• Lower back pain
• Osteoarthritis

For the sake of your health, adjusting your diet and exercising regularly can help reduce visceral fat and lower the associated health risks.

Diet is closely related to visceral fat. Certain foods can easily lead to fat accumulation and should be consumed in moderation or avoided in excess:

• High-sugar foods: Sugary drinks, desserts and cakes can cause blood sugar levels to rise rapidly, promoting fat storage.
• Refined starches: White rice, white bread and pasta can easily be converted into sugar by the body, and excessive consumption may lead to fat accumulation.
• Processed foods: Sausages, luncheon meat and ready-to-eat foods contain high levels of sodium and trans fats, and long-term consumption may affect metabolism.
• Fried foods: Fried chicken, chips and other foods are rich in saturated fats and trans fats, which can easily promote an increase in visceral fat.
• Alcohol: Excessive drinking, such as beer and spirits, may slow down fat metabolism, leading to a “beer belly”.

To reduce visceral fat, prioritise natural, nutritious foods and avoid processed foods that are high in sugar, fat and sodium, in order to maintain a healthy physique.

Healthy Eating

Choose high-fibre foods, such as vegetables, fruit and wholegrains, to support gut health and reduce fat accumulation. Consume healthy sources of protein, such as fish, chicken and legumes, to boost metabolism and promote fat burning. At the same time, avoid refined sugars and processed foods, such as sugary drinks, cakes and snacks, to reduce the conversion of calories into fat. Consume healthy fats, such as nuts, avocados and olive oil, in moderation to help stabilise blood sugar levels and reduce fat accumulation.

Regular Exercise

Exercise for at least 150 minutes per week, combining aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, running and swimming, to burn fat with resistance training, such as weight training and squats, to build muscle and boost metabolism. You can also engage in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to burn fat quickly and improve overall metabolic efficiency.

Stress Management

Stress can promote the secretion of cortisol, leading to fat accumulation and potentially triggering “stress eating”, which can further accelerate the formation of body fat. Activities such as yoga, meditation and deep breathing can help relax the nervous system and stabilise your emotions. In addition, taking up hobbies such as reading, drawing and listening to music can effectively shift your attention, reduce the impact of stress on your body and help maintain a healthy body fat percentage.

Sufficient Sleep

Insufficient sleep can affect hormonal balance, increasing appetite and fat storage. Aim to sleep for at least 7 hours each day, establish a regular sleep schedule and avoid staying up late. Reduce mobile phone use before bed to minimise the impact of blue light, and ensure that your bedroom is quiet and comfortable to improve sleep quality.

Drink Less Alcohol

Alcohol can affect liver metabolism and promote the accumulation of visceral fat. Reduce your consumption of drinks with a high alcohol content, such as beer and spirits; choose low-alcohol or alcohol-free beverages instead, and control how often you drink. Avoid binge drinking to maintain a healthy body fat percentage.

Intermittent Fasting（Intermittent Fasting）

Intermittent Fasting involves adjusting your eating window and can help reduce visceral fat. A common approach is the 16/8 fasting method, which involves fasting for 16 hours each day and eating within an 8-hour window. This can help the body use fat as an energy source and reduce fat accumulation. However, even when fasting, you should ensure a balanced diet and avoid excessive consumption of refined sugars and high-fat foods.

Modern lifestyles are often characterised by high work-related stress, frequent dining out and social engagements, which may lead to the accumulation of visceral fat and affect health. If you want medical coverage in case you fall ill, you may consider purchasing a Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme plan. Insured persons can enjoy medical coverage on a reimbursement basis, while also benefiting from tax deductions. If you would like to know which Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme plan is best, please feel free to consult 10Life’s licensed insurance advisers for professional advice.

Further reading:
What to do about low blood pressure? Understand low blood pressure standards and ways to improve it
【Ligament tear】Understand the symptoms, location, causes and treatment of cruciate ligament tears
What is a Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme plan? Understand the differences between Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme plans and medical insurance
 

References:
1. Cleveland Clinic. Visceral Fat
2. Health Direct. How to reduce visceral body fat (hidden fat)
 

Last updated: 24 April 2025

This English version of this article has been generated by machine translation powered by AI. It is provided solely for reference purposes. In the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency between this translation and the original Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail.