Many of us are very aware of something that's on each of our bodies: fat. But did you know there are several different types of fat, and that most of us have very little control over how that fat is spread out over our bodies?
It turns out that hormones, genetics, and the biological sex we're assigned at birth can all impact how we store and carry different types of fat on our bodies.
There are many types of fat.
A lot of us probably think of body fat and assume it's all the same thing. It might surprise you to learn there are several types of body fat:
- Subcutaneous fat: This fat makes up the majority of the fat on our bodies. It sits on top of muscles and is generally concentrated around our hips. It's the fat you can jiggle!
- Visceral fat: This is the more dangerous stuff; this is the fat that can surround our internal organs.
- Brown fat: In adults, this fat is typically located around our chests, and it helps us stay warm. Babies have tons of it!
We can't really control how fat is distributed around our bodies.
Due to a combination of genetics, biological sex, and hormones, none of us can completely control where fat is distributed in our bodies. Some people will always carry it in their hips, while others might carry extra fat in their bellies. A health-conscious meal plan and safe amounts of exercise can help us stay in control of how much fat we have, to a degree.
All fat is not bad fat.
Despite what you might hear or read, that outer layer of fat (subcutaneous fat) isn't all bad. This fat helps produce leptin, which is a chemical that tells your body you're full, and it also produces adiponectin, which helps keep your blood sugar in check.
Testosterone and estrogen play a huge role.
Hormones play a huge role in how we store fat and where. In fact, testosterone and estrogen are largely responsible for why men and women have different body shapes. Bodies that are biologically female will often store extra fat in their hips, whereas biologically male bodies keep it in their midsection.
Taking hormones can change your fat distribution.
This is why transgender people who take hormones are able to change their bodies. If someone who was assigned male when they were born begins taking estrogen as they transition, their body fat distribution will respond accordingly.
Visceral fat is something to watch out for.
As mentioned above, visceral fat is definitely something you don't want to amass too much of. The fat tends to be stored around our vital organs, which means it can have a negative impact on our hearts and livers. A 2009 study conducted by the American Heart Association found that 44% of women and 42% of men who participated had high levels of visceral fat.
Surgery for fat distribution shouldn't be done lightly.
While it's possible to undergo surgery that will move fat deposits from one place in your body to another, there can be several side effects. Those can include bruising, swelling, and even lumps. If you're considering the surgery, you'll also want to be a nonsmoker.
