belly fat is more than a nuisance that makes your clothes feel tight. it’s seriously harmful. this type of fat — referred to as visceral fat — is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions. many health organizations use body mass index (bmi) to classify weight and predict the risk of metabolic disease. however, this is misleading, as people with excess belly fat are at an increased risk even if they look thin. though losing fat from this area can be difficult, there are several things you can do to reduce excess abdominal fat.