What is a Visceral Fat assessment?
When people talk about burning “belly fat”, they are technically referring to two different types of fatty tissue: Visceral fat (sometimes called active fat) and subcutaneous fat.
A Visceral Fat assessment uses ultrasound scanning to identify excess visceral fat, which is strongly associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease, stroke, dementia, asthma, diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver, and several forms of cancer. It surrounds your liver, kidneys, pancreas and intestines. While visceral fat is frequently increased in obese individuals, many patients in the BMI range 23-30 can also have an excess of unhealthy visceral fat. Patients who complain to their doctor of “bloating” will often have excessive visceral fat.
Subcutaneous fat is stored directly below your skin and is the type of fat where you can “pinch an inch” from your belly, arms, thighs or other places on your body. AdelaideMRI offers a safe cosmetic procedure to reduce the appearance of this excess fat with no needles, surgery or downtime – click here to investigate CoolSculpting®.
What are Visceral Fat assessments used for?
Ultrasound testing will directly measure dangerous visceral abdominal fat in all age groups, including the elderly, teenagers, and in pregnant women. Even if you are fit and in a healthy weight range, you will only know how much visceral fat you have by measuring it.
We offer you a direct, safe, ultrasound measurement of visceral fat so that you can stay within, or get into, the ‘safe range’ by losing excess visceral fat. Studies have shown that reducing visceral fat has clear health benefits. A clear measure of your visceral fat level may also motivate you more to work to achieve a healthy amount of visceral fat.
Visceral fat can be absorbed by the body because it’s more readily metabolized into fatty acids, and responds to diet and vigorous (anaerobic) exercise. You can check in three or six months to see how your belly fat is responding to the changes you make in diet and exercise.
How much does a Visceral Fat assessment cost?
This test is not eligible for a Medicare rebate. Please ring any of our clinics to obtain current, competitive pricing information. When you have decided to proceed with your assessment, you can pay by phone when you make your booking or pay in person when you arrive for your scan. We accept cash, card, Eftpos and cheques, but do not accept AMEX.
How long will a Visceral Fat assessment take?
Your total appointment should take no longer than an hour. A written report of your results will be finalised over the next 48 hours and sent to you or your referring doctor.
Are there risks from a Visceral Fat assessment?
Visceral Fat assessments use ultrasound scanning to deliver your risk level. Ultrasound scans are entirely safe because they use sound waves or echoes to create an image rather than radiation. Although the body absorbs this sound energy as minute amounts of heat, the energy levels required for diagnostic imaging do not produce noticeable warming effects inside the body. There are no known harmful effects at the levels used.
What happens to the results of my Visceral Fat assessment?
If you have been referred, we will transmit the written results of your assessment to your referring doctor. If you did not obtain a referral, the results will be conveyed directly to you. Your results are always treated with strict confidentiality.
