You may feel lucky if you don’t have a round belly, but what if we say that you are still fat? Skinny fat is a term that defines a person who may not look overweight or obese physically but still be fat. Now you must be wondering how that is possible. Well, mirror and BMI is not all that is true as it gives estimates. Getting your blood pressure and cholesterol checked in the only way to know if you are obese. One –fourth of the normal weight people can fall under this category. This phenomenon is called “Skinny fat” or “normal weight obesity”. It is found that people who suffer from ‘normal weight obesity are at a higher risk of having diseases and problems than those who are generally obese. People who are skinny fat also die faster than others. This is what we call skinny fat.
There is a lot of confusion in people’s mind regarding the concept of Obesity and Overweight. Hence to clarify this, expert Dr KK Aggarwal, General Physician from BHEL, Haridwar, has shared his opinion. “Many people may not know that obesity and overweight are very different concept and does not have a direct relationship with being ‘fat’. Obesity is a disease process that later cause’s cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes and can lead to cancer. Whereas being overweight is a concept which can be defined as having higher body mass index (BMI) than what is supposed to be ideal”.
5 Signs Of Skinny Fat
Listed below are five signs that are sure to understand if you are skinny fat or not:
Family History: If there has been a history of diabetes or blood sugar due to obesity in any of your family member, it is more likely that you will also inherit it. It may be possible that you are not fat right now, but there are huge chances that later you can fall for diseases related to high cholesterol level, sugar and blood pressure. It’s best to consult a doctor.
Unhealthy diet: Taking in unhealthy food regularly may make you skinny fat. It may occur to you that you are fit, but the fat keeps on storing, which penetrates inside and causes diseases related to obesity. Yo-yo dieting, skipping meals, extreme cleanses can also be a syndrome of Skinny Fat.
You are in an at-risk population: This means that you live in an area where these problems pre-exist. For example, the South Asian population is at a higher risk of getting these problems than those who live in the north Asian regions. Genetics are involved in how people store fat but apart from that, culture plays a huge role.
Have a muffin top: Your body shape can tell you if you can be prone to obesity. If there is a bulge in a tummy area or a small tier rising, which can look good doesn’t mean you are still fit. Fat around the middle is worst than fat anywhere else.
You can’t do push-ups: Those people who suffer from obesity are generally insufficient to do push-ups, which may be ones getting obese. People who look in good shape don’t feel like working out regularly, which stores fat in their body. This can slowly make you obese. To eradicate this issue, you must exercise even if you look fit.
How To Find Out If You Are Obese?
Obesity is a leading reason to many health problems. During this pandemic, where people are restricted to one environment, it is hard to keep yourself fit and healthy. Obesity is a widespread problem that arises in this situation. To find out if you are obese or just overweight, you need to calculate your body mass index (BMI). An ideal or fit person has a BMI of 18.5 – 24.9. People with having a BMI greater than 25 are considered overweight. The range of overweight in BMI is 25.0 - 29.9. If your BMI is more than that, then you are suffering from obesity.
Also Read: Body Mass Index May Not Be The Finest Choice To Know If You're Healthy
How To Calculate BMI?
Body Mass Index is a simple calculation that can be done through the following formula-
BMI= kg/m2, where the weight should be in Kg and height should be in Metres.
- BMI applies mostly to adults from 18-65 years of age. Children have a different method for calculation because they are still growing. Boys and girls grow at a different level; hence the standard method is not applicable.
- The child or teenagers BMI is calculated by taking the chart of growth which accounts their age and gender.
- BMI estimates body fat. It does not directly measure body fat. Therefore, athletes with muscular built may have higher BMI in-spite of being fit.
Does It Matter Where The fat Is Stored?
Yes, it is essential to know where fat is stored in the body. If the fat is stored in the belly part, then it is most dangerous. Belly fat is the major cause of having health problems and diseases. It gives rise to the resistance of insulin and inflammatory protein.
Conclusion
There is a difference between being overweight and being obese. Obesity is a major cause of many heart problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, increased cholesterol level etc. You can also be obese if you are not fat looking. Skinny fat is the term that is commonly used; they are at a higher risk of getting diseases than a normal obese person. There are 5 signs through which you can find out if you are skinny fat. To avoid obesity, do regular exercise and go for checkups.
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