There are two main types of stomach fat…
1. Subcutaneous fat
For new mums, subcutaneous fat is the most noticeable type of fat on the stomach. As the name suggests, subcutaneous fat is the sort of fat which lies just under the surface of the skin.
Women are most likely to accumulate this sort of fat around their abdomen, hips and buttocks. Subcutaneous fat is noticeable and can cause dimpling like cellulite.
This fat serves as the body’s energy storage system. If more calories are consumed than the body uses, extra calories are laid down as subcutaneous fat.
Conversely, when more calories are burned than consumed, subcutaneous fat is the first sort of fat to be burned off by the body to meet the increased demands for energy.
2. Visceral fat (the dangerous one)
The second type of fat on the stomach area is visceral fat, also known as abdominal fat. This sort of fat differs from subcutaneous fat as it is less visible within the body.
Visceral fat forms within the body and around the organs. It cannot be seen from the outside and is far more dangerous than subcutaneous fat. Research is continuing into why some people seem to have greater amounts of visceral fat than others, but it is believed to have a lot to do with a poor diet.
Visceral fat is of great concern as it literally wraps itself around the major organs in the abdomen such as liver, kidneys, heart and lungs, as well as contributing to the clogging of arteries.