Regional Fat Distribution and Fat Cells

Recent studies suggest that not only percent fat but also regional fat distribution must be considered. Excess fat in the abdominal region is associated with greater risk of cardiovascular disease and a greater incidence of Type II (non-insulin dependent) diabetes.

Research has shown that the number and size of fat cells are also important criteria in the degree of fatness. In adults, fat loss or gain occurs because of a decrease or increase, respectively, in the size of fat cells, with no change in their number. In children, obesity occurs when there is an increase in both the number and the size of fat cells. This is believed to be related to the difficulty obese children have in being cured of obesity. Some studies suggest that an overabundance of fat cells may cause regulatory or metabolic dysfunctions that make it difficult for a person with many fat cells to lose weight and maintain weight loss.

• Abdominal fat raises risk of cardiovascular disease and Type II (non-insulin dependent) diabetes.
• Adults: weight change = change in fat-cell size, not number.
• Children: obesity = increase in both fat-cell number and size.
• Excess fat cells may cause metabolic dysfunction that hinders weight loss.

• fat-deposition-patterns — sex-specific deposition sites.
• obesity-thresholds — % body fat defining obesity.
• skinfold-measurement — estimating overall body fat.
• waist-circumference / waist-to-hip-ratio — the current, simple field methods for exactly the regional/abdominal-fat risk this module describes; cheap risk markers that don't require skinfold calipers.