June 18, 2026, 12:00 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
According to a study published in March 2024, smoking increases visceral belly fat. This type of fat is considered particularly dangerous and is linked to dementia, among other things.
The fear of gaining weight prevents many smokers from quitting. A misconception, say researchers from the University of Copenhagen. Smoking increases belly fat, especially visceral fat. This fat lies deep in the abdominal cavity and can promote strokes, heart disease, diabetes, and even dementia. But does quitting smoking immediately lead to a reduction?
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Genetic Data from More Than 1 Million People Analyzed
The Danish scientists had access to the results of various genetic studies involving more than a million smokers for their analysis. They analyzed whether smokers tend to have a different body fat distribution than non-smokers. They also examined whether factors other than smoking could play a role. The study was published in the journal “Addiction.”1
Why Visceral Fat Is So Deceptive
Visceral fat is hard to detect. You can have a flat stomach on the outside, with unhealthy amounts of visceral fat hidden underneath. It differs from the classic fat pad, subcutaneous fat, in that it wraps around the internal organs. It leads to permanent inflammatory reactions and thus to increased inflammation levels–the starting point for numerous diseases affecting the cardiovascular system and brain function.
Why Visceral Fat Can Also Be a Problem for Slim People
Quitting Smoking May Lower Dementia Risk–If You Pay Attention to One Thing
Belly Fat Increases in Smokers Every Year
The study’s result: Both the onset of smoking and lifelong smoking lead to more belly fat, specifically more of the described unhealthy visceral fat. “In smokers, belly fat increases throughout life, as measurements of the waist-to-hip ratio show,” explains study leader Dr. Germán D. Carrasquilla in a statement from the university.2 And: “The impact of smoking on belly fat seems to be independent of other factors such as socioeconomic status, alcohol consumption, ADHD, or a person’s risk-taking behavior.”
Quitting Smoking Melts Belly Fat
The good news: Those who quit smoking may initially gain a few pounds. But, as Dr. Carrasquilla concludes, the unhealthy belly fat decreases–of course, only with a simultaneously healthy lifestyle. And with that, the risk of many life-threatening diseases also decreases. Quitting smoking indirectly minimizes numerous other health risks.