As spring arrives across Kelowna and the Okanagan, many people turn their attention to fresh routines—more walking, healthier eating, and a renewed focus on wellbeing. However, while weight is often the first number people look at, it doesn’t tell the full story.
One of the most important—but often overlooked—health indicators is visceral fat: the fat stored deep in the abdomen around vital organs.
At DexaCan, we use advanced DEXA (Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry) scanning to help you see what scales and mirrors can’t: a precise breakdown of body composition, including visceral fat levels that play a major role in long-term health.
Unlike subcutaneous fat (the fat you can pinch under the skin), visceral fat sits deeper in the abdominal cavity. It surrounds organs like the liver, pancreas, and intestines.
This type of fat is metabolically active, meaning it directly influences how your body functions.
Higher levels of visceral fat are associated with:
The challenge is that you can have unhealthy levels of visceral fat even if your weight appears “normal.”
For decades, Body Mass Index (BMI) has been used as a general health indicator. But BMI cannot distinguish between muscle, fat, or fat distribution.
That means two people with identical BMIs may have very different health risks depending on where fat is stored.
The Canadian Medical Association Journal review of cardiometabolic risk research found that abdominal fat distribution—particularly visceral adiposity—is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular disease and metabolic dysfunction than BMI alone. This reinforces the importance of looking beyond weight to understand true health risk.
Understanding the risks is the first step; measuring them with precision is the second. While bathroom scales and handheld devices rely on electrical currents (which are often inaccurate due to hydration), DEXA uses medical-grade imaging to differentiate tissue types at a granular level.
By precisely “mapping” the abdominal region, our scans provide:
This clinical-grade precision is why DEXA is considered the Gold Standard for Kelowna residents who want an accurate metabolic health baseline.
Benefits of measuring visceral fat with a DEXA scan
Measuring visceral fat through a DEXA scan provides several clinical advantages over traditional body composition methods:
Spring naturally encourages lifestyle resets but it’s also a strategic time to assess internal health markers before summer activity increases.
For active residents of Kelowna and the Okanagan, understanding visceral fat levels can help you:
A healthier body composition means more than appearance—it means better long-term resilience.
Visceral fat is one of the most important—yet least visible—drivers of long-term health. The good news? It is measurable, trackable, and changeable.
At DexaCan Kelowna we provide the clarity you need to act early and build a healthier future based on real data instead of guesswork. Because we are a DAP-accredited private clinic, we eliminate the barriers common in BC’s public health system:
Don’t wait for a warning sign to take control. Now is the perfect time to establish your baseline. Book your private DEXA scan today and start your journey toward a healthier, more informed you.