Too much abdominal fat, or fat around and within our organs, makes us sick, regardless of whether we are lean or overweight. It increases our risk of chronic inflammation, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and much more. Therefore, it is valuable to be able to measure it and thus better assess one's own risk.
Previously, common measurement methods involved measuring abdominal circumference or relating waist circumference to hip circumference (Waist-to-Hip Ratio = WHR) or abdominal circumference to height (Waist-to-Height Ratio = WHtR). However, these measurements proved to be too imprecise because they always included the less problematic subcutaneous fat tissue in the abdomen.
The so-called Visceral Fat Index is a newly developed formula that allows for a more accurate determination of unhealthy internal abdominal/organ fat. All you need is a tape measure, your height, your weight, and your age.
Using your height and weight, first calculate your BMI (Body Mass Index = weight in kg / (height in m)2). Then measure your thigh at its thickest point and your waist circumference. Thigh circumference is measured with the tape measure positioned below the gluteal fold. Waist circumference is measured halfway between the lower rib and the iliac crest.
Then enter all values into the formula below or go to the following website https://www.lih.lu/en/visceral-fat-calculator/ and let the calculator do the work for you. A value below 130 cm2 is the goal.
For women:
Visceral fat = 2.15 × waist circumference (cm) - 3.63 × upper thigh circumference (cm) + 1.46 × age (years) + 6.22 × BMI - 92.713
For men:
Visceral fat = 6 × waist circumference (cm) - 4.41 × upper thigh circumference (cm) + 1.19 × age (years) - 213.65
The measurement described here is a new estimation method, but it does not indicate an exact amount of visceral fat. However, it is a very useful, free, and simple tool for estimating risk values. For a precise determination, medical procedures such as Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) or imaging techniques such as DEXA scan, MRI, or CT are necessary.
