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The SCVC Blog

Cardiovascular care news and articles from our expert team

Visceral Fat, Mitochondria, and the Energy Trap: Why We Store Fat Where We Shouldn’t

Visceral fat (VAT) is the dangerous, hidden fat stored around your organs that accumulates. when caloric intake exceeds energy demand, since glucose and fats that can’t be used gets stored as adipose tissue. This blog explains how ageing, muscle loss, glucose spikes and genetic factors all drive VAT accumulation — and how reversing the cycle requires restoring mitochondrial health, increasing muscle mass, and in many people, by reducing glycaemic overload.

Mitochondria: The Tiny Engines Managing Your Energy — Until They Are Overloaded

Mitochondria are the power stations inside every cell, converting food into energy. But in modern life, with constant carbohydrate intake and low energy demand, they become overwhelmed. Just like solar panels producing too much electricity for full batteries, mitochondria have nowhere to send surplus fuel. This triggers oxidative stress, inflammation, and early ageing. Insulin is meant to divert excess glucose to safe storage — but when that system fails, metabolic chaos follows. In this article, we explore how your mitochondria manage energy, what causes them to overload, and how lifestyle changes can help restore balance and protect long-term health

Cardiometabolic Tools

Patients often ask about home monitoring tools — ECG devices, blood pressure monitors, glucose apps. We now also encourage people to track their waistline and visceral fat, using body composition scales alongside more traditional equipment.To support this, I have created a page of recommended home gadgets that can help patients take greater ownership of their health — a vital step towards a more proactive, prevention-focused model of care, guided by their clinical and educational team.

Anthropometrics vs BMI: Why Waist Measures Outperform BMI in Cardiovascular Risk Assessment

VAT is the principal metabolic culprit in cardiovascular risk. BMI—while simple—fails to capture fat distribution, muscle mass, or ageing effects. Waist-based anthropometrics, particularly waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio, more closely reflect VAT and strongly predict cardiovascular outcomes.For cardiologists, this explains why a tape measure around the waist is more valuable than a BMI calculation. Where precise measurement is required—such as in high-risk patients commencing GLP-1 therapy—DEXA and low-dose CT provide direct VAT quantification.In both prevention and clinical practice, tracking waist measurements makes far more sense than relying on BMI.