According to a group of University of Michigan scientists, belly fat tucked deep under the skin might be worse for a person's arteries than fat padding the rest of the body. Also called visceral fat, belly fat appeared to boost inflammation and was linked to worse forms of atherosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries, making heart attacks more likely.

Using mice in their experiment, the U of M team transplanted visceral fat into some mice, while transferring subcutaneous fat (fat that sits directly under the skin) into others, and no fat into a third group of mice. The results showed that the mice injected with visceral fat suffered the worst atherosclerosis and the most inflammation.

The research conducted supports the belief that abdominal fat increases the risk of serious health problems. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the risk of serious health problems increases in men with a waist measurement over 40 and in women with a waist measurement over 35.