What Causes People to Be Considered Skinny Fat?
Everyone has a different body type, whether due to genetics or as a result of their lifestyle. Some people are more genetically predisposed to have less muscle and higher body fat percentage than others.
Other factors that can contribute to body size and cause one to be skinny fat include exercise and nutrition habits, hormone levels, and age.
Exercise and dietary habits
When you exercise, your body releases anabolic hormones that stimulate muscle building. Exercise also increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin, thereby lowering your risk of developing diabetes [4].
Regular exercising is recommended to help you avoid hormonal changes that negatively influence your body composition and make you more prone to storing fat.
You should also watch your diet habits, as excess intake of refined sugar can negatively impact your body composition. A 2019 review discovered a positive link between sugar overconsumption and obesity.
Age
Older adults are at a higher risk of muscle loss and an increase in body fat, as a result of hormonal changes that make it difficult to maintain muscle.
Muscle loss that occurs due to age factor is called sarcopenia [5], which is often accompanied by an increase in body fat.
Sex
The term “skinny fat” is subjective, which makes it difficult to measure whether it is more common in certain sexes. Anyone can be considered skinny fat.
Hormone imbalances
Increased body fat and sudden changes in the body fat storage can be traced to hormonal imbalance. For example, a decline in estrogen levels after menopause can lead to an increased fat mass and an increased amount of visceral fat storage in the abdominal cavity.