How the Skinny Fat Crisis Affects the Global Obesity Epidemic

Militaries, no less, around the world — especially United States military recruiting  — are slowly accepting the reality of the skinny fat crisis (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Obesity is raging out of control (6, 7, 8, 9, 10) globally and forecast (11, 12, 13, 14) to get worse. The correlation between obesity and skinny fat is not being given the credence it deserves. Why are more people not asking how the skinny fat crisis affects the global obesity epidemic?

Skinny fat science (15) is very young, having only first been mentioned in the literature less than two decades ago. As skinny fat scientific research grows, we are beginning to better understand how genetics, more specifically unique genetic body composition, affects and is affected by metabolism, muscle mass gain and loss, regular white/yellow fat (body fat) weight loss and gain, and skinny fat. As well as diet, exercise, and lifestyle.

Genetics – How the Skinny Fat Crisis Affects The Global Obesity Epidemic

Skinny fat is unique genetic tissue. Here is genetically blessed Christian Bale — a known genetic scientific Standard Body Type One (BT1)(16) — when he lost an insane amount of weight including obvious muscle mass.

Yet, no skinny fat. According to most medical professionals, influencers, Google, and the like, skinny fat is caused by poor diet and exercise which causes muscle tissue loss, and that lost muscle tissue becomes skinny fat. Which, of course, is not how human tissue works and is impossible (17, 18). But, according to them, Christian Bale should be experiencing skinny fat. There are no signs of any skinny fat on his body even when he is clearly emaciated. Genetics.

Genetic Scientific Body Types (19)

This genetic Scientific Body Type Two (BT2) person (image below) is within safe Standard BMI at 22.7. By BMI definition (safe being 18.5 to 24.99), they have no excess regular white/yellow fat to lose. Thus, by definition, they should have genetic muscles/mass on their love handles and lower back, like Research Participant 1088 (20). Instead, they have obvious thin fat skinny fat tissue where they should have genetic muscle mass. Genetics.

Research Participant 1170 (21) is within safe BMI at 24.6 yet the skinny fat tissue (thin fat, cellulite) is obvious. After safely losing even more regular fat weight and getting down to a BMI of 21.3 (22), the skinny fat tissue is still obvious in all the same places. Genetics.

Moreover, Research Participant 1053 (23) started at an obese BMI of 32.1 and successfully lost regular fat to get down to an overweight BMI of 26.3. But the skinny fat tissue (thin fat, cellulite) is obvious in all the same places. Genetics.

They still need to lose eight more pounds to get within safe BMI, but losing eight more pounds is not going to magically transform their skinny fat tissue into muscle tissue and make them a Standard BT1. Like any person experiencing genetic skinny fat tissue, they can reduce their skinny fat by adding muscle mass through resistance exercise like weightlifting, while successfully losing the remaining excess regular fat through proper diet (particularly low-carb)(24), exercise (especially walking)(25), and lifestyle (26) and keeping it off.

How the Skinny Fat Crisis Affects The Global Obesity Epidemic – Skinny Fat & Metabolism

Some people say, “so what?” Why does it matter that some people have more genetic skinny fat tissue than others? All body shapes are just fine and it does not matter.

Well, that is not really true. The more skinny fat tissue you have, the slower your metabolism (27). The slower your metabolism, the fewer calories you burn. And likely the less daily Standard BMR and TDEE calories you need. Your body is more susceptible to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (28, 29, 30, 31) as well as being overweight or obese (32, 33, 34).

Unique genetic body composition directly influences metabolism (27). The more skinny fat tissue you have, the more careful you will have to be throughout your life with your diet, exercise, and lifestyle to keep the excess regular fat at bay and remain healthy. This includes avoiding fast, junk, and processed foods that are loaded with empty calories and low-quality calories.

Furthermore, the more natural genetic muscle/mass that a person is lacking (the more skinny fat tissue they have), typically the more it negatively correlates to strength, athletic ability, endurance, coordination, balance, and flexibility, at least.

Other People Say

Genetics are just an excuse. You are just not working hard enough. Stop making excuses and recomposition that body!

Genetics are not an excuse, they are a fact (35). Just as your skin color, hair color, eye color, height, breasts, genitals, facial features, etc. are genetic, your unique genetic body composition is genetic. You cannot naturally, permanently change your unique genetic body composition any more than you can change the color of your skin, hair, or eyes, or height, or the like.

You can temporarily recomp your body (35). But the more skinny fat tissue you have, the harder it will be. And, maybe you are one of the rare few people who can build and maintain the added muscle mass for the rest of your life. But most people will not, no matter how young, adamant, and naive you are. Unique genetic body composition has a significant effect on metabolism.

Governments and Militaries Have a Lot To Learn – The Skinny Fat Crisis

As governments and militaries scramble to understand each recruit’s unique genetic body composition and solve the skinny fat crisis, they first must realize that no technology they currently have is capable of discerning regular white/yellow fat tissue from skinny fat tissue. Full body scans are useful, but they do not tell anything about skinny fat tissue, at present.

Because governments and militaries — most entities and people — do not see skinny fat as unique tissue at this time. They see it as some sort of syndrome or phenomenon that is caused by poor diet and exercise.

Skinny Fat Denial

They need to have their eyes checked immediately by a qualified medical professional. Standards will continue to be lowered (36, 37, 38, 39) to a point where the ability of the military becomes more questionable, which gives bad actors more will and confidence to do more bad acting. Robotics will come more into play.

A strong, healthy military that is led by honest leaders who readily and willfully support real scientific data, evidence, and facts — the type of evidence and facts that will stand in real official court — is what keeps bad actors at bay. No different from a healthy immune system.

Understanding unique genetic body composition (40, 15) — muscles/muscle mass tissue, regular fat tissue, and skinny fat tissue — is the key to solving the skinny fat crisis and global obesity epidemic.

Official Scientific Body Type Quiz – How the Skinny Fat Crisis Affects The Global Obesity Epidemic

You can scientifically and accurately determine your unique genetic body composition, including skinny fat, using the proprietary Official Scientific Body Type Quiz (41). Quiz Results are private and secure; no sensitive personal information of any kind is asked for or required, all you need is an email, and images are faceless.

It includes understanding your Standard BMI and Standard BMR along with Adjusted Standard BMR, taking into account skinny fat. As well, you will better comprehend where you have skinny fat on your body and why. Remember, skinny fat science is young and growing, so check back regularly for new articles and information.

References

1. The Wall Street Journal: The U.S. Military’s Weighty Challenge: ‘Skinny-Fat’ Recruits, October 1, 2023, Ben Kesling. https://www.wsj.com/us-news/us-military-unfit-recruits-weight-aa17996b
2. Military.com: Army Opens its Doors to Recruits Who Fail to Meet Initial Body Fat and Academic Standards Amid Recruiting Crisis. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/07/26/army-opens-its-doors-recruits-who-fail-initial-body-fat-and-academic-tests-amid-recruiting-crisis.html
3. Daily Mail: America’s military’s fitness crisis: Alarm over rising obesity and number of ‘skinny fat’ recruits who can’t pass physical tests, October 8, 2023, Lewis Pennock. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12593219/Americas-militarys-fitness-crisis-Alarm-rising-obesity-number-skinny-fat-recruits-pass-physical-tests.html
4. Military Times: Fixing the military’s overweight and obesity crisis, July 20, 2024, Mary McCarthy, PhD, RN, CNSC, FASPEN, FAAN, Army Lt. Col. Tanisha Currie, PhD, MA, BSN, RN-BC, and Army Capt. Kevin M. Kilroy, PA-C. https://www.militarytimes.com/opinion/2024/07/20/fixing-the-militarys-overweight-and-obesity-crisis/
5. Turning Point USA: US Military Facing Epidemic of ‘Skinny Fat’ Recruits, October 11, 2023, Morgan Zegers. https://www.tpusa.com/live/us-military-facing-epidemic-of-skinny-fat-recruits
6. WebMD: Obesity Epidemic “Astronomical”, R. Morgan Griffin (Medically reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD). https://www.webmd.com/obesity/features/obesity-epidemic-astronomical
7. World Health Organization (WHO): Obesity and overweight, March 1, 2024. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
8. NIH, National Library of Medicine: A 2022 update on the epidemiology of obesity and a call to action: as its twin COVID-19 pandemic appears to be receding, the obesity and dysmetabolism pandemic continues to rage on, May 15, 2022, Chrysoula Boutari and Christos S. Mantzoros. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9107388/
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Adult Obesity Facts, May 14, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/php/data-research/adult-obesity-facts.html
10. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Childhood Obesity Facts, April 2, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/php/data-research/adult-obesity-facts.html
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15. Skinny Fat Science: What is Skinny Fat?, July 26, 2024, https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/what-is-skinny-fat/
16. Britannica: human muscle system, Shane W. Cummings and Robin Huw Crompton (Fact-checked by the Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/human-muscle-system
17. NIH, National Library of Medicine: Muscle-to-fat interaction: a two-way street?, January 1, 2010, Bente K Pedersen. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2821541/
18. Healthline: Does Fat Turn into Muscle? What to Know, March 2, 2021, Katey Davidson, MScFN, RD, CPT (Medically reviewed by Jake Tipane, CPT). https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-fat-turn-into-muscle
19. Fellow One Research: Body Type Science Research Data. https://www.fellowone.com/fellow-one-research/the-four-body-types/body-type-quiz/body-type-test-quiz-results-1170-body-type-three-bt3-female-woman-generation-z/
20. Fellow One Research: Body Type Test (Quiz) Results 1088 – Body Type One (BT1) Male (Man), Millennial (Generation Y). https://www.fellowone.com/fellow-one-research/the-four-body-types/body-type-quiz/body-type-test-quiz-results-1088-body-type-one-bt1-male-man-millennial-generation-y/
21. Fellow One Research: Body Type Test (Quiz) Results 1170 – Body Type Three (BT3) Female (Woman), Generation Z. https://www.fellowone.com/fellow-one-research/the-four-body-types/body-type-quiz/body-type-test-quiz-results-1170-body-type-three-bt3-female-woman-generation-z/
22. Fellow One Research: Body Type Test (Quiz) Results 1170 – After Weight Loss – Body Type Three (BT3) Female (Woman), Generation Z. https://www.fellowone.com/fellow-one-research/the-four-body-types/body-type-quiz/body-type-test-quiz-results-1170-after-weight-loss-body-type-three-bt3-female-woman-generation-z/
23. Fellow One Research: Body Type Test (Quiz) Results 1053 – Body Type Four (BT4) Female (Woman), Millennial (Generation Y). https://www.fellowone.com/fellow-one-research/the-four-body-types/body-type-quiz/body-type-test-quiz-results-1053-body-type-four-bt4-female-woman-millennial-generation-y/
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27. Skinny Fat Science: How Skinny Fat Affects Metabolism, August 7, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/how-skinny-fat-affects-metabolism/
28. NASM: Normal Weight Obesity: How to Manage a ‘Skinny Fat’ Body Composition, Nicole Golden. https://blog.nasm.org/skinny-fat
29. MedicalNewToday: What does skinny fat mean?, November 1, 2023, Lauren Hellicar (Medically reviewed by Avi Varma, MD, MPH, AAHIVS, FAAFP). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/skinny-fat#summary
30. Healthline: What Does ‘Skinny Fat’ Mean?, June 8, 2021, Daniel Yetman (Medically reviewed by Lisa Hodgson, RDN, CDN, CDCES, FADCES, Nutrition). https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/skinny-fat
31. Business Insider: Why being ‘skinny fat’ is dangerous for your health and how to fix it, May 14, 2021, Erin Heger (Medically reviewed by Jason R. McKnight, MD, MS). https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/diet-nutrition/skinny-fat
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35. SKiny Fat Science: How To Fix Skinny Fat, July 27, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/how-to-fix-skinny-fat/
36. NewsNation: US military modifies requirements to tackle enlistment shortages, October 2, 2023, Evan Lambert andUrja Sinha. https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/military/military-modifies-requirements-shortages/
37. Associated Press: Army eases fitness test standards for women, older troops, March 23, 2022, Lolita C. Baldor. https://apnews.com/article/army-8107bd2d5ad1db574a72e98dd789fbff
38. Military.com: No Diploma? No Problem! Navy Again Lowers Requirements as it Struggles to Meet Recruitment Goals, May 19, 2023, Associated Press. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/01/27/no-diploma-no-problem-navy-again-lowers-requirements-it-struggles-meet-recruitment-goals.html
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