Hormonal
Visceral fat directly secretes interleukin-6 (IL-6) into the portal circulation, which correlates with systemic inflammation (CRP) and contributes to insulin resistance in obese humans.
For individuals with high abdominal fat, the location of fat matters biologically. Visceral fat actively releases inflammatory markers like IL-6 into the liver, which can drive insulin resistance. Reducing visceral fat through medical or lifestyle interventions may mitigate this inflammatory pathway.
These data suggest that visceral fat is an important site for IL-6 secretion and provide a potential mechanistic link between visceral fat and systemic inflammation in people with abdominal obesity.
Why this rating
Direct measurement of portal vein vs. radial artery concentrations in a specific obese population provides strong mechanistic evidence, though causality is noted as not fully proven.
Source
Visceral Fat Adipokine Secretion Is Associated With Systemic Inflammation in Obese Humans
Luigi Fontana et al. · Diabetes · 2007
DOI 10.2337/db06-1656
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