Interesting facts about body fat

Body fat distribution

Controlled by genes and hormones, stubborn fat accumulates particularly on the thighs and hips of women and on the stomach of men. It is almost impossible to lose weight in those areas. But a constant reduction in calorie intake reduces overall body fat and also attacks even the most stubborn fat padding.

Harmfulness of body fat

Belly fat, the so-called visceral fat that lies between the organs in the abdomen, is the "dangerous" fat. It produces signaling substances and inflammatory agents that can trigger heart disease, high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes. By the way, even supposedly slim people can have these dangerous fat deposits. A test at the doctor's can show whether this may be the case.

Fat cells protect our health

Fat cells are not just "bad." They also control important metabolic processes. They influence the function of the brain, the liver, pancreas and even our immune system, but only if we sleep sufficiently. If we get too little sleep, the power plants in the fat cells shut down. As a result, dietary fats and vitamins are poorly processed. The consequences can be fatty liver, vitamin deficiency, inflammation, diabetes, heart attack and cancer.

Our fat cells: The best weight control

It sounds paradoxical: When we have eaten enough and feel full, our fat cells release the hormone leptin, which signals to the brain: "Don't eat anything more!" Yet the problem with overweight people is that their fat cells produce too much leptin so that the brain no longer reacts to the high leptin level. Recent studies seem to have found a cure for this: If the test persons received omega-3 fatty acid-containing foods such as fish, linseed oil or nuts, the brain cells suddenly responded again to leptin and the feeling of satiety was restored.

Normal body fat levels

Body fat is important for health because it protects joints and organs such as the heart and kidneys. Therefore, the body fat percentage should not be too low. An optimal body fat percentage depends on individual factors such as age, gender and body type.

Body fat can be measured with different methods. A simple method is to measure fat folds at certain points. Body fat scales use the so-called bioelectrical impedance method (BIA), in which a small current is conducted through the body. With the help of the measured electrical resistance, the individual body fat percentage is determined. However, many scales only provide rough values, as they often only measure the lower part of the body. Much more accurate are laboratory methods that involve the entire body.