The Risks of Belly Fat Lose belly fat to reduce your risks for
heart disease, cancer, and more. The notches on your belt tell
the tale: If your waistline has gained girth, you've got more
than friendly padding. You've got too much belly fat, and that's
a serious health issue. Doctors have a catchy term for that too-
familiar round belly -- the "apple" shape. If your fat has
settled on the buttocks and thighs, you're a "pear" shape. Don't
get sidetracked with the cutesy names, however. Belly fat (aka
visceral fat) is serious business. "A big waistline puts you at
increased risk for many health problems -- diabetes, heart
disease, high blood pressure, and stroke," says Robert Eckel,
MD, president of the American Heart Association. Even skinny
people can have unhealthy "hidden" belly fat. Research shows
that fat may be folded deep inside the belly around the stomach
organs, visible only by CT or MRI imaging. This fat puts people
at the same health risks as someone with more obvious big girth,
researchers say. How