Fat is a natural byproduct of the body's metabolism, but how much is too much?
Since it is located deep inside the abdomen, visceral fat is difficult to see. Subcutaneous fat is what you feel if you compress your tummy.
While not an absolute association, visceral fat seems to increase with expanding waistlines.
An simple, at-home technique to find out whether you may have too much visceral fat is to measure your waist.
Take a measurement just above the hip bones, at the same level as the belly button.
Men should strive for a waist circumference of less than 40 inches, while women should shoot for fewer than 35 inches as a general guideline.
The ideal height for Asian Americans is 35.5 inches for males and 31.5 inches for women.