It is beginning to seem that the fat "hanging over the belt" is the most dangerous kind of all.Research in the UK has connected high levels of C-reactive protein (which signals an inflammatory process at work) specifiaclly to abdominal obesity,  with insulin resistance, and eventually development of diabetes and cardiovasular disease.

Two key passages from an editorial by Tracy of the Vermont College of Medicine follow:

"First, thedata fit well with a growing body of evidence implicating adipose tissuein general, and visceral adiposity in particular, as key regulatorsof inflammation, coagulation, and fibrinolysis. Adipose tissuesecretes proinflammatory cytokines and fibrinolytic regulatorssuch as plasminogen activator inhibitor. Along with manypossible roles in atherogenesis and atherosclerotic progression,inflammatory mediators can activate coagulation by stimulatingmonocytes to express tissue factor (as can CRP itself )and by causing disregulation in natural anticoagulation."

"They suggested that the role of visceralfat may be more complex than suspected, because even peoplewho are not obviously overweight may still have disproportionatelytoo much visceral fat, with the result of a predisposition towardinsulin resistance and atherosclerotic disease, possibly throughinappropriate cytokine secretion. ".  Full text here.