“Hidden Fat” May be the Silent Cause to Artery Damage

By Irene Yeh

Visceral fat, the fat that surrounds the organs, and hepatic fat, the fat that is stored in the liver, are linked to increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, as well as cognitive decline and cancer. However, their effects on artery health are not as known. Researchers from McMaster University in HAMILTON, Ontario sought to determine whether visceral fat and hepatic fat can affect the arteries in an analysis study, published in Communications Medicine (DOI: 10.1038/s43856-025-01123-y). For the study, they enrolled two cohorts: 6,760 participants from the Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds (CAHHM) and 26,547 participants from the UK Biobank.

Scanning and Data Collection

For CAHHM participants, the study was designed so that fewer than 20% had known heart disease. About 50% of participants were female, and they were organized into three age groups: 35-45, 46-55, and 56-69. The team used MRI scans to measure fat distribution and artery health. The team collected data on hypertension, lipid levels (e.g. cholesterol, triglycerides, etc.), and diabetes. Waist and hip circumferences, height, and weight were also measured.

Most CAHHM participants were of white European descent and had an average age of 57. Many of them were non-smokers and had health conditions such as high blood pressure (about 37%), high cholesterol (roughly 36%), and diabetes (less than 5%). More men were reported to have these conditions than women, as they had more visceral and hepatic fat. Male participants also had higher cardiovascular risk scores and showed more signs of artery buildup. For both sexes, visceral fat correlated with liver fat and both were linked with overall body fat.

For the UK Biobank participants, the average age was 54. Most participants were of white British descent and over half were non-smokers. Almost 23% were reported to have hypertension, about 23% had prevalent dyslipidemia, and around 5% had diabetes. These conditions were higher in male participants, who also had higher levels of visceral fat and thicker artery buildup. For both sets of cohorts, the correlation between visceral fat and artery damage was present.

Silent Damage

The main limitation of this study is that the data is from only a single point in time, which means that it does not show whether fat buildup caused changes in blood vessels or heart disease. Additionally, the analyses did not fully separate people based on alcohol intake. The measurements for artery thickness can also be imprecise, and the study also combined different types of artery measurements, making the results harder to interpret.

While these limitations should be considered, the results produced enough evidence to suggest that there is a correlation between higher levels of visceral fat—and to a lesser extent, hepatic fat—and increased artery thickness. These findings encourage that the use of the body mass index and waist circumference to measure body fat levels is not sufficient. Assessing and managing visceral fat levels must be considered to lower the risk of cardiovascular problems, such as heart disease, and other conditions connected to high levels of body fat.