FMR FDA COMMISSIONER KESSLER: Sorry guys, that beer gut isn't cool. It's killing you

Men's health is at risk due to visceral fat, often overlooked as a 'dad bod.' This fat increases mortality risk and requires attention to prevent diseases.

A waist circumference of more than 40 inches is an indicator that a man has too much visceral fat. David A. Kessler, MD, served as commissioner of the FDA under Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. He co-led Operation Warp Speed beginning in January 2021 and has been the dean of the medical schools at Yale and the University of California, San Francisco. His latest book is, "Diet, Drugs, and Dopamine: The New Science of Achieving a Healthy Weight." 

The passive acceptance of increased body fat — particularly belly fat — is proving deadly. Toxic visceral fat that accumulates in the abdomen gets into the liver, pancreas and heart. In contrast to the fat that sits just under our skin, deeper visceral fat is less able to hold on to fat molecules and is metabolically active, leaking free fatty acids and other molecules that cause inflammation. It also creates metabolic chaos, elevating insulin levels and laying the groundwork for insulin resistance.