Gallery: Belly Fat: 8 Health Reasons Why The Gut Has Gotta Go!

Maintaining a healthy weight is key to ensuring good health. But a healthy weight isn't just about the number on the scale. Where you carry your body fat can be even more important than how much you have. Subcutaneous fat is the kind of fat most of us think about when we go on a diet or start an exercise plan. You might have flabby arms, thick thighs, or be a little hippy. This fat is located just below the skin's surface and presents more trouble when you have more of it.

Visceral belly fat, however, is the fat that makes its home around your major organs. Everybody has some, but it is not visible to the human eye. Genetics determine where you carry fat, but too much of this kind will lead to serious health problems. You may have heard about thin or seemingly fit individuals having heart attacks and developing diseases and wondered why. Visceral fat is frequently the culprit.

Cleaning up your diet, exercising, drinking plenty of water, and getting restful sleep are all great ways to reduce overall body fat as well as visceral belly fat. If you have a family history of any of these eight ailments, you'll want to get started making lifestyle changes as soon as possible!