Who is the fattest on the inside?

Forget your weight, it’s the visceral fats you should be concerned with, says obesity experts So which of these volunteers were fatter on the inside that on the outside – and could you be to

STEPPING on the scales can be a daunting prospect. But scientists warn it isn’t your weight you should be worried about, but actually the amount of harmful fats, known as visceral fats, in your body.

And those who eat the wrong foods or do not exercise enough may have a perfectly normal Body Mass Index (BMI) – the generally accepted measure of healthy weight – but still suffer from dangerously high levels of visceral fats.

Professor David Haslam, from the National Obesity Forum, says: “Visceral fat is the dangerous kind, caused by a high carbohydrate diet and sedentary behaviour.

“Unlike the blobby, more benign fat just under your skin, visceral fat is stored deeply, wrapping itself around the heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas, and even creeps through muscles.

“So you can be thin on the outside, but fat on the inside, which is actually less healthy.”

Using the BMI measurement, many professional athletes are classed as overweight or obese because they have much more muscle, which weighs more than fat, even though they are fit and healthy.

Meanwhile, those classed as healthy may have hidden stores of harmful fats that are not being diagnosed or treated, leaving them at greater risk.

But a new DEXA scan (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) now offers a way to measure hidden fats, muscle mass and bone density in less than four minutes.

Four guinea pigs agreed to try out the state-of-the-art scanner to see what was really going on under the skin, and here’s what they discovered.

Visit Bodyscan at bodyscanuk.com. DEXA body scan including visceral fat estimate and personal consultation, £159; for two people, £258. Packages available.