How Skinny Fat Affects Aging & Longevity
Sarcopenia (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) – the slight, gradual loss of muscle tissue as you age, especially after 40 years old (5, 6, 7) — is a main component in the science of aging and longevity. People who are experiencing genetic skinny fat tissue (8, 9) are already at a default genetic muscle/mass disadvantage. So, what is the truth about how skinny fat tissue affects aging and longevity?
There is a lot of talk (10, 11, 12), particularly of late, about how regular white/yellow fat (body fat) weight loss also causes muscle tissue loss. However, not one single study has any valid measurements of each person’s genetic default muscle/mass tissue BEFORE they lost the weight. It is grossly, erroneously, and unscientifically assumed that every person is the Standard Body Type One (BT1) with all 600+ muscles developed. When it is a fact (13) that not every human being is born in a Standard BT1.
Not to mention, many of those people also chose improper diet (calorie deficit/starvation), exercise (too much or too little), and lifestyle (too little sleep, too much stress, etc.) routines (14, 15, 16, 17) that, indeed, could have caused muscle tissue loss. But, many of them are experiencing real skinny fat tissue where genetically they should have default genetic muscle tissue, thanks to their genetics. And have since birth. Skinny fat science is very young, and right now unique genetic body composition is not being given the credence it deserves.
How Skinny Fat Affects Aging & Longevity – Unique Genetic Body Composition
Genetics (18, 19, 20, 21), the hereditary DNA that makes up your genes and is responsible for building and maintaining your human structure, determines every human being’s unique genetic body composition (22, 23, 24, 25, 26) — muscle tissue, regular fat tissue, and skinny fat tissue, no less. Just as you cannot naturally, permanently change your genetic skin color, hair color, eye color, height, genital size, breast size, facial features, or the like, you cannot naturally, permanently change your unique genetic body composition.
Yes, you can, indeed, temporarily change your unique genetic body composition through epigenetics (23) by adding muscle mass and losing regular fat via proper diet, exercise, and lifestyle. And, depending on how much skinny fat tissue you have and how diligent you are with your diet, exercise, and lifestyle throughout your entire life, you may be able to maintain those body composition changes.
However, life is hard, and as young people transition into real life, most find — like most adults — that just surviving day-to-day consumes all their time, energy, and resources. Once they no longer have the time and ability to build and maintain muscle mass, inevitably any added muscle mass (above and beyond genetic default muscle/mass) will gradually be lost, and they will eventually return (27) to their original default genetic body composition, including muscle/mass (or lack of) and skinny fat (if they are genetically experiencing it). As well, they will likely gain regular fat weight.
Sarcopenia – How Skinny Fat Affects Aging & Longevity
People genetically experiencing skinny fat tissue have less genetic default muscle/mass tissue and thus have to be more aware of sarcopenia as they age. The more genetic skinny fat tissue a person has, the less muscle tissue they have to lose to begin with. The less genetic muscle tissue a person has, the slower their metabolism (28) and the more prone they are to being overweight or obese while being more susceptible to no less than body dysmorphia, all kinds of disease (heart, cancer, etc.), weakness/frailty, falls, fractures, immobility, lack of functionality, and death (1, 3, 4); especially the older they are.
Moreover, recent research (29, 30, 31, 32) links sarcopenia to neurological and psychiatric mental health disorders including dementia, anxiety, and depression. Although it must be mentioned that because skinny fat science is so new, skinny fat tissue is not factored into any of the currently accepted scientific research. The importance of muscle tissue in relation to long-term overall health (33, 34, 35) and maintaining muscle mass through proper exercise — resistance (36) and cardio (37) — to minimize muscle atrophy and age-related sarcopenia, cannot be understated.
Studies (38, 39, 40, 41) consistently show that less muscle tissue equates to a higher mortality rate and less graceful aging. Of course, overall genetics, diet (42), exercise (43), and lifestyle (44) matter. But, how much muscle mass you have (or don’t have) is a relatively accurate indicator of longevity.
Determining Unique Genetic Body Composition and Health – Scientific Health Quizzes
Fellow One Research has developed the Scientific Health Quizzes using the latest scientific data, evidence, and facts in proprietary algorithms. The Scientific Body Type Quiz accurately determines each person’s unique genetic body composition including skinny fat tissue.
Whereas the Scientific Metabolism Quiz Health Score reckons each person’s unique metrics to accurately estimate Standard BMR and TDEE calories along with whether their metabolism is slow, fast, or normal as well as if their metabolic rate is decreased, steady, or increased. While the Scientific Diet, Exercise, Lifestyle, and Total Health Quizzes offer each person a more comprehensive understanding. All are offered for free.
The Top 8 Skinny Fat Myths, Debunked By Science
References
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