Skinny Fat Body Type Science

The notion of the skinny fat body type is popular universally. According to the common spiel, a person has a skinny fat body type if they are within safe Standard BMI (18.5 to 24.99) yet somehow they still have too much body fat (regular white/yellow fat/adipose tissue). The problem with this claim is that it directly contradicts and violates the Standard BMI definition (1, 2, 3, 4) which clearly and specifically states that once a person is within safe BMI, by definition they no longer have too much regular white/yellow body fat (high body fat %).

Yes, at present, it is a fact that the BMI is not accurate (Body Type Science (5) is working to make it more accurate). But it is also a fact that the BMI is the only current standard (6, 7, 8) and better than no standard at all. Science is data, evidence, and facts — it relies on established standards to make sense of things and ground them in reality. Otherwise, anarchy rules, and contradictions, disinformation, misinformation, and violation reign. The BMI is a useful guideline; we have to start somewhere.

The fact is, skinny fat is not (9, 10) too much regular fat (high body fat %). Skinny fat is unique genetic tissue. Muscle is unique genetic tissue. Just as regular white/yellow fat is unique genetic tissue. Regular fat and skinny fat are not the same thing — they are two different tissues. You can technically lose 100% of your regular fat tissue yet your skinny fat tissue will remain.

How Skinny Fat Affects Body Type

Skinny fat is not a body type, it is a main variable in determining scientific body type (11, 5). How much skinny fat tissue (thin fat, cellulite) one has and where on their body are other prominent factors used when determining which of the four scientific body types a person is. The current and only medically accepted scientific body type standard is the Standard Body Type One (BT1) (12, 13, 14) with all 600 plus muscles developed, found in any scientifically approved resource:

A person genetically blessed with a Standard Body Type One (BT1) has minimal to no skinny fat tissue with all 600+ muscle developed naturally. They have no/zero genetically underdeveloped vertebrae. Like research participant 1088 (15):

The more skinny fat tissue a person has, the less likely they are a Standard BT1 and the more likely they are a Body Type Two (BT2), Body Type Three (BT3), or Body Type Four (BT4) (5, 11).

This Body Type Two (BT2)(5, 11) PhD scientist and professional trainer is well within safe BMI at 22.7 yet has obvious skinny fat tissue (thin fat) on his love handles and lower back. But nowhere else.

Why?

If the myth (16) that poor diet/lack of protein and poor exercise/too much cardio is true (it is not), and muscle tissue can magically turn into skinny fat tissue (it cannot), then why did only this person’s love handle and lower back muscle/mass turn into skinny fat tissue? In reality, it did no such thing; the truth is they never had the love handle and lower back genetic default muscle/mass to start.

Instead, where they should have genetic default muscle/mass, they have (since birth) genetic skinny fat tissue from roughly their thoracic 12 to lumbar 5 (a BT2 has 1 to 8 vertebrae with underdeveloped default genetic muscle/mass). The current science (5) estimates that roughly 2/3rds of the population is experiencing at least some skinny fat tissue (more than minimal).

More Genetic Skinny Fat Tissue Equals Less Genetic Default Muscle/Mass

Research participant 1170 (17) started their weight loss journey inside safe BMI at 24.6. By BMI definition, they technically have no more excess regular fat tissue to lose. Yet, the normal weight obesity and skinny fat tissue, both thin fat and cellulite, are obvious. Their skinny fat tissue is much more widespread across their body, from the thoracic vertebrae down to the sacrum, at least.

They safely lost even more regular fat weight and got down to BMI 21.3, yet the genetic thin fat and cellulite skinny fat tissue where they should have genetic default muscle/mass tissue remains, in all the same places. Getting down to the minimum safe BMI of 18.5 will not magically make the genetic default muscle/mass appear/exist. They can technically lose 100% of their regular fat tissue yet their skinny fat tissue will remain.

By definition, they are a Body Type Three (BT3)(5, 11) because they likely have 9 to 17 vertebrae that have underdeveloped genetic default muscle/mass; IE they have genetic skinny fat tissue where they should have genetic default muscle/mass, and have since birth.

Skinny Fat Body Type Science – The Body Type Four (BT4)

Is it genetically possible to have no genetic default muscle/mass tissue, and instead have all skinny fat tissue where the 600+ genetic default muscles should be? Not likely, as the bare minimum muscle tissue must exist for the body to function at it’s bare minimum capacity. So, what is the bare minimum capacity? Can all 26 vertebrae have underdeveloped genetic default muscle/mass?

Here is research participant 1053 (18):

They initially started their weight loss journey at an obese BMI of 32.1. The widespread thin fat and cellulite skinny fat tissue where they genetically should have default genetic muscle/mass is obvious. They lost 34 pounds and got down to an overweight BMI of 26.3, yet the lack of genetic default muscle/mass remains in all the same places, as does the genetic skinny fat tissue. If they lose 8 more pounds and get within safe BMI, it will not magically make their genetic default muscle/mass appear/exist – not even if they got all the way down to the minimal safe BMI of 18.5.

Like BMI 22.7 (BT2) and 1170 (BT3), they can technically lose 100% of their regular fat tissue but their skinny fat tissue will remain.

They are likely a genetic scientific Body Type Four (BT4)(5, 11) with 18 to 26 vertebrae that have genetically underdeveloped muscle/mass, from no less than their cervical vertebrae down to their sacrum vertebra.

Genetic Scientific Body Type Quiz (Official) – Unique Genetic Body Composition

How does one scientifically determine their unique genetic scientific body type? The state-of-the-art Scientific Body Type Quiz (Official)(19). Based on the latest science including the Body Type Science research data, the Scientific Body Type Quiz accurately determines your unique metrics to identify your unique genetic body composition including muscle/mass tissue, regular fat tissue, and skinny fat tissue relative to all 26 vertebrae — cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, and coccyx.

Are you a Standard Body Type One (BT1)(5, 11) with minimal to no skinny fat tissue and zero (0) underdeveloped vertebrae? A Body Type Two (BT2)(5, 11) with 1-9 underdeveloped vertebrae and some skinny fat tissue? Or maybe a Body Type Three (BT3)(5, 11) with even more skinny fat tissue and 9-17 underdeveloped vertebrae? Perhaps you are a Body Type Four (BT4)(5, 11) with mostly skinny fat tissue and 18 to 26 underdeveloped vertebrae? Take the Official Scientific Body Type Quiz for free to find out.

Can I Have A Skinny Fat Body And Be Fit & Healthy?

References

1. ScienceDirect: Body Mass Index, Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology, 2004. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/body-mass-index
2. NIH, National Institutes of Health: Cool Temperature Alters Human Fat and Metabolism, July 28, 2014. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/cool-temperature-alters-human-fat-metabolism
3. Healthline: Brown Fat: What You Should Know, May 22, 2023, Ashley Marcin (Lisa Hodgson, RDN, CDN, CDCES, FADCES, Nutrition). https://www.healthline.com/health/brown-fat
4. Cleveland ClinicL Brown Fat, August 7, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24015-brown-fat
5. Fellow One Research: Body Type Science Research Data. https://www.fellowone.com/category/fellow-one-research/the-four-body-types/body-type-science/body-type-quiz/research-data/
6. Wikipedia: Body mass index. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_mass_index
7. NIH, National Institutes of Health: The History and Faults of the Body Mass Index and Where to Look Next: A Literature Review, November 3, 2023, Rachel Pray and Suzanne Riskin (Editors: Alexander Muacevic and John R Adler). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10693914/
8. American Medical Association: AMA adopts new policy clarifying role of BMI as a measure in medicine, June 14, 2023. https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-adopts-new-policy-clarifying-role-bmi-measure-medicine
9. Skinny Fat Science: What Is Skinny Fat?, July 26, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/what-is-skinny-fat/
10. Skinny Fat Science: Are Regular Fat and Skinny Fat the Same Thing?, August 28, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/are-regular-fat-and-skinny-fat-the-same-thing/
11. Fellow One Research: The Four Body Types. https://www.fellowone.com/fellow-one-research/the-four-body-types/
12. Britannica: human muscle system, October 22, 2024, Bernard Wood and Robin Huw Crompton (Fact-checked by Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica). https://www.britannica.com/science/human-muscle-system
13. Cleveland Clinic: Muscles, January 23, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21887-muscle
14. Innerbody: The Muscular System, October 18, 2024, Tim Taylor. https://www.innerbody.com/image/musfov.html
15. 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/
16. Skinny Fat Science: The Top 8 Skinny Fat Myths, Debunked By Science, October 9, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/the-top-8-skinny-fat-myths-debunked-by-science/
17. 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/
18. 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/
19. Fellow One Research, Scientific Body Type Quiz: Scientific Body Type Quiz (Official). https://scientificbodytypequiz.fellowone.com/product/scientific-body-type-quiz-official/