Despite the spongy, inflated and round appearance of visceral fat, it's far more dangerous than it appears. Regardless of how slender an individual maybe visceral fat is the side effect of inactivity. Sedentary habits are the drivers of visceral fat. With a low impact fitness program, the risk of accruing this dangerous fat may be alleviated.

Recently, a clinical trial conducted at Duke University Medical Center the differences between rigorous exercise regimens to inactivity in overweight participants. Researchers determined that raising the bar on exercise can diminish visceral fat. Moreover, the findings showed how the longer patients avoided exercise they were apt incrementally increase their weight gain by four pounds each year.

In merely a six month period, the control group that did not engage in physical activity experience substantial gains in visceral fat (an 8.6 percent increase). Alternatively, the male and female subjects who exercised by walking for 30-minutes at least six times a week demonstrated a reduction or reversal in visceral fat mass.

The primary reason visceral fat is deemed as detrimental can be found in it ability to accumulate fat in the stomach around organs. Physicians associate the fat with cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance coupled with other chronic diseases. Dissimilar to subcutaneous fat which lies right under the skin, visceral fat is imbedded deep into the body.

As a result, the evaluations of the test shows how the sedentary habits of Americans will continue to trigger obesity and overweight epidemic. The problem stems from the long work hours; time spent traveling to and from work coupled with less opportunity to attain physical activity. Without sufficient exercise and fitness programs, weight will remain an inevitable reality for individuals battling the bulge.