Body Fat Types: Insights for Overall Health

Ugh, the universally hated word “fat”.

Body fat plays an essential role in overall health and well-being. Some benefits include energy storage and provision, temperature regulation, hormone production, and immune function. It is important to note that the benefits of body fat depend on the amount and distribution of fat as excessive fat levels can lead to health problems including obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

While we use the word “fat” to broadly describe “all body fat” there are different types.

Several categories of fat (essential, visceral, and subcutaneous) store different types of fat cells (white, brown, and beige). Each cell type serves a different role with some promoting a healthy metabolism and hormone levels while others can contribute to diseases.

Fat is stored in different areas of the body including near organs and under the skin. It can be briefly described as:

• ESSENTIAL FAT: this fat is found in your brain, bone marrow, nerves, and membranes and are essential for life and a healthy body.

• VISCERAL FAT: aka “belly fat” are white fat cells that are stored in the abdominal cavity and around organs; high levels of this fat can be harmful to your health.

• SUBCUTANEOUS FAT: refers to fat stored under the skin; a combination of white, brown, and beige cells. Where the majority of our body fat is stored.

CELL TYPES:

• White Fat: made up of large white cells stored under the skin (subcutaneous) or surrounding organs (visceral). These fat cells store energy for later use; too many of these cell types can contribute to disease.

• Brown Fat: primarily found in babies; can help burn fat.

• Beige Fat: a new area of research; thought to be somewhere between white and brown fat; can help burn fat.