New research has shown that certain gut bacteria can play a significant role in the accumulation of visceral fat (aka belly fat, or the hidden fat which surrounds your organs like the liver and intestines). The bacteria in your gut help you digest food, and specific diet nutrients and gut bacteria affect the accumulation of fat in different ways. For example, protein and cholesterol were shown to be associated with increased visceral fat, however, Fiber, Magnesium and Vitamin E tend to be linked with lower visceral fat. Essentially, the food you eat can influence which microbes stay in your gut, which in turn can have an effect on how much visceral fat you have.