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Background A single slice of the axial computed tomography (CT) or the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the L4/5 or at the umbilical level was frequently chosen for visceral adipose tissue (VAT) volume measurement. However, it remained unknown whether the L4/5 level was the optimal anatomic site for Chinese population. Objective To investigate the relationship between the cross-sectional VAT areas at different anatomic sites and the total VAT volume in a healthy Chinese population using quantitative computed tomography (QCT), and to identify the optimal anatomic site for a single slice to estimate the total VAT volume. Materials and methods A total of 420 healthy Chinese subjects aged 19 to 63 years underwent lumbar spine QCT scans. As a part of the protocols of an ongoing spine and knee degeneration study, a Mindways QCT calibration phantom was positioned under the back of each subject. The raw data of CT scans were first reconstructed to full field of view (FOV) abdominal images and then transferred to the Mindways QCT work station for further analyses. The cross-sectional area of total adipose tissue and VAT were measured automatically using the tissue composition module of a software at each intervertebral disc from T12/L1 to L5/S1, as well as at the umbilical level. The total VAT volume was defined as the fat areas multiplied by the height of vertebral body for all 7 slices. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the correlation between single slice VAT areas and the total VAT volume. Moreover, the optimal anatomic site for a single slice to estimate the total VAT volume was identified by multiple regression analysis. Results The cross-sectional area of VAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) measured at each anatomic site were all highly correlated with the total VAT volume and the total SAT volume (r = 0.89 to 0.98). Additionally, the VAT area measured at the L2/3 level showed the strongest correlation with the total VAT volume (r=0.98, p<0.001). Conclusions The VAT area measured with QCT software using a single axial CT image at any level of the abdomen was highly correlated with the total VAT volume. The slice at L2/3 level showed the strongest correlation and could be regarded as the optimal anatomic site for estimating the total VAT volume.