Journal September 25, 2026 5 min read

What does the research say about visceral fat?

Visceral fat is the fat stored around internal organs. This page summarises registered clinical studies and published research on visceral fat, including trials of mazdutide, urolithin A, barley green, and others, and no

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Visceral fat, also called visceral adipose tissue (VAT), is the fat stored around internal organs. It is distinct from subcutaneous fat, which lies under the skin. Visceral fat is measured in research by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), often as visceral fat area or visceral fat percentage. The evidence block for this page does not provide a sequence, formula, or molecular weight for visceral fat itself, as it is a tissue rather than a single compound.

The work centres on metabolic and inflammatory pathways, including adipokine signalling (leptin, resistin, sclerostin, irisin), insulin resistance, and mitochondrial function.

Research Studies

Mazdutide and fatty pancreas in overweight or obesity

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is evaluating mazdutide in patients with overweight or obesity and fatty pancreas. The study plans to enroll 194 participants, assigned 1:1 to mazdutide plus standardized lifestyle intervention or placebo plus standardized lifestyle intervention, for 48 weeks. The primary endpoint is change from baseline in pancreatic proton density fat fraction (PDFF) measured by MRI at week 48 [1].

Mazdutide and visceral fat in type 2 diabetes with NAFLD

A multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled investigator-initiated trial is assessing mazdutide in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and moderate-to-severe non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) who have achieved glycemic control. The study notes that Chinese patients with T2DM are susceptible to visceral fat accumulation, which increases cardiometabolic risk, and that metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is highly prevalent in this group [2].

Urolithin A and muscle preservation during weight loss in obesity

A trial is testing whether daily urolithin A (500 mg) for 6 months helps adults with obesity lose weight while preserving functional muscle mass and improving markers of mitochondrial health, inflammation, and metabolism. All participants receive a structured lifestyle program; half receive urolithin A and half placebo. The background notes that weight loss can reduce skeletal muscle, and that aging and obesity are linked to mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired autophagy/mitophagy, oxidative stress, and low-grade inflammation [5].

Resistin and visceral fat reduction after sleeve gastrectomy

A study is investigating whether serum resistin levels can predict how much visceral fat a patient will lose following sleeve gastrectomy for morbid obesity. The study describes visceral fat as fat stored around internal organs, linked to inflammation and type 2 diabetes, and notes that resistin is a marker contributing to insulin resistance, typically higher in individuals with significant abdominal fat [6].

Barley green and visceral fat area

A randomized study in individuals with high body fat percentage is examining changes in visceral fat area under barley green supplementation combined with a calorie-restricted diet, and exploring mechanisms through gut microbiota analysis. Participants were recruited from the Clinical Nutrition Department of Peking University People's Hospital [7].

Ethnic differences in adipose tissue dysfunction and type 2 diabetes

A pilot study is investigating the relationship between type 2 diabetes and adipose tissue dysfunction across different ethnic groups. Adipose tissue dysfunction is characterised by abnormal fat distribution, including increased visceral, hepatic, and pancreatic fat, elevated inflammatory biomarkers, and impaired metabolic function. The study notes that in the UK, type 2 diabetes prevalence is higher among South Asian and Black African/Caribbean populations than among White Europeans, and that differences in visceral fat accumulation are thought to contribute [8].

Body composition and fertility outcomes in IVF

A prospective observational cohort study is evaluating whether body composition measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), including body fat percentage and visceral fat, is a better predictor than body mass index (BMI) of in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes. Outcomes include ovarian stimulation requirements, number of mature oocytes retrieved, and fertilization rates [4].

Sclerostin, irisin, and leptin in Chinese men with obesity

A cross-sectional study included 26 men with normal weight and 78 men with obesity. Body composition was measured using dual-emission X-ray absorptiometry, and subcutaneous fat, visceral fat, and fat content in the liver and pancreas were determined by magnetic resonance. Serum sclerostin, irisin, and leptin were detected using ELISA. Compared with men with normal weight, serum sclerostin, irisin, and leptin levels as well as whole-body and spinal bone mineral density differed [3].

Reference-only findings

Additional papers report on visceral fat in specific contexts. One study examined circulating adipokines, tissue receptor expression, and body composition in epithelial ovarian carcinoma [9]. Another reported that a bitter hop nutraceutical stimulated fat mass loss while preserving muscle mass in individuals with overweight or obesity receiving diet and exercise advice [10]. A third described differing presentations of excess visceral abdominal fat in people living with HIV, highlighting distinct therapeutic pathways with tesamorelin and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists [11]. A fourth reported hematopoietic stem cell transplantation-associated partial lipodystrophy, a metabolic complication in childhood cancer survivors treated with total body irradiation [12]. These findings are reported as facts from the respective papers.

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