The term is such an oxymoron isn’t it?

Technically called “normal weight obesity”, skinny fat refers to being either normal weight or underweight but having a very high body fat % (>30% body fat is considered obese). Fat deposition in such people is commonly observed around the midsection of their body like belly, waist and hip area while their arms and legs are relatively lean.

These people are called metabolically obese because they have excess fat tissue around all their internal organs (visceral fat) and very low lean body mass (bones, muscle, blood, organs). They also have poor cardio-respiratory fitness. Such people might be lean but are at a high risk of metabolic disorders like diabetes and heart related problems. They’re low on energy as well.

This type of fat deposition is mostly due to genetics or sedentary lifestyle but sometimes can also occur due to stress and lack of sleep. While people who are skinny fat can be identified by their physical appearance, getting a body composition analysis done like a DEXA scan, BIA scan or an MRI can give a clear picture.

So how do we get them healthier?

Physical activity: Increasing physical activity by accommodating strength training and cardio will greatly help them lose the extra fat and increase lean body mass by building muscle

Change in eating habits: Balancing meals with all the macros becomes absolutely essential in this case. Also, instead of a straight forward calorie deficit, they need to first eat surplus calories to increase lean body mass for a few weeks before they switch to calorie deficit for fat loss.

What is the moral of this story? Your ultimate goal should be to have low body fat % while being strong enough to sustain daily activity. Just being skinny is not a sign of good health!