How Skinny Fat Affects Body Shape

People on social media, especially young people, commonly use terms like “average” body, “normal” body, “pear-shaped body type,” “apple-shaped body type,” “triangle body type,” “rectangle body type,” “round body type”, “hourglass body type,” “Kibbe,” “mesomorph,” “ectomorph,” “endomorph,” “skinny fat body shape,” and such, yet can offer no science-based definitions or examples. What is a “normal” or “average” human body shape? How is it defined, scientifically/medically?  Why are some people, generally speaking, shaped like a pear, apple, triangle, rectangle, etc. yet others are not?

We know that the foundation of the human body — the structure and shape — is genetics (1). We know that diet, exercise, and lifestyle directly affect body composition, metabolism, and shape. Although diet, exercise, and lifestyle cannot naturally, permanently change genetics, including body composition (2). We know that skinny fat (3) is real and affects body shape, but how?

According to science, we can see the example of a “normal/average” human body in any scientifically approved resource like the anatomy textbook found in schools, the anatomy book in your doctor’s office, or an official encyclopedia like Britannica (4).

How Skinny Fat Affects Body Shape – Standard Body Type One (BT1)

Science/medicine requires standards – accepted definitions – to properly function. This “average or normal” standard human body has all 600+ muscles developed; what our research has coined the Standard Body Type One (BT1). Once any human being is within safe BMI, they are supposedly that standard human body…what else would they be???

Take this pro trainer who is experiencing “weird fat” — skinny fat — on their lower back and love handles, no less, where genetically they should have muscle tissue, even though they are within safe BMI at 22.7.

We know that each vertebra houses specific muscles and is associated with specific muscles. This pro trainer is lacking genetic muscle tissue relative to their lumbar vertebrae, at least. How does that affect no less than their posture and shape? If they add muscle mass, does that improve their posture and shape and allow them to function like a Standard Body Type One? What does “function like a Standard Body Type One” even mean???

See how Research Participant 1000 (4) and Research Participant 1088 (5) have the genetic muscle tissue on their lower back and love handles as per the Standard Body Type One…and no skinny fat (thin fat, cellulite)(3). They actually do look like the Standard Body Type One image.

Vertebrae and Muscle – How Skinny Fat Affects Body Shape

What if a person has skinny fat all over their body, from cervical vertebra 1 down to their coccyx? How would lacking so much muscle tissue affect their posture, body shape, and functionality, no less? How would adding muscle mass affect their posture, shape, and functionality – would it “fix” it so they look like and function like a Standard Body Type One?

See how Research Participant 1104 (6) is lacking muscle mass around thoracic 12/lumbar 1 with skinny fat…they are within safe BMI at 23.3, but they do not look like a Standard Body Type One with all 600+ muscles developed. They can add muscle mass to that area or anywhere they are experiencing skinny fat, but it is not permanent (3). Does adding muscle mass to that area make them look like and function like a Standard Body Type One?

See how Research Participant 1199 (8) is lacking muscle mass from roughly their Thoracic 6 to thoracic 12 or lumbar 1, no less…with skinny fat (thin fat). They’re at an obese BMI of 30.9. If they lose the excess regular white/yellow body fat weight and get down to a safe BMI (18.5 to 24.99), will they look like and function like a Standard Body Type One?

See how Research Participant 1054 (9) is lacking muscle mass pretty much everywhere..with obvious skinny fat (thin fat). They’re at an overweight BMI of 28.8. If they lose the excess regular fat weight and get down to a safe BMI, will they look like and function like a Standard Body Type One?

Skinny Fat Can Exist At Any BMI

See how Research Participant 1053 (10) is lacking muscle mass pretty much everywhere…with obvious skinny fat (thin fat, cellulite).

They’re at an obese BMI of 32.1. They safely lost regular fat weight down to an overweight BMI of 26.3, yet the skinny fat remains in all the same places where genetic muscle tissue should be but is not. They look no closer to being a Standard Body Type One. If they get down to BMI 24.99 or less, will the muscle tissue appear? No. It was never there to begin with. Genetics.

See how genetically blessed Standard Body Type One Joe Rogan has obvious abs even when regular fat is covering them when he is overweight…and no skinny fat…genetics.

Skinny Fat Body Shape

See how Research Participant 1170 (11) is lacking muscle mass widespread across their body. They are at a BMI of 24.6, already within safe BMI, and thus they have no excess regular white/yellow body fat as per the Standard BMI definition. Yet, the skinny fat — normal weight obesity, thin fat, and cellulite — is obvious where they should have default genetic muscle tissue but do not.

They lost regular fat down to a safe BMI of 21.3, yet the skinny fat persists in all the same places. They do not meet the definition of a Standard Body Type One as they do not have all 600+ muscles developed, at least. Not to mention that they do not look like a Standard Body Type One in terms of muscles, definition, tone, and shape.

The genetic muscle tissue was never there to begin with, from birth, which directly affects their posture and shape, no less. No matter how much regular fat weight they lose, down to a safe BMI of 18.5, or less, the genetic muscle tissue will not magically appear. They are not a Standard BT1. So, then, what (12) are they if they are not a Standard Body Type One?

Our science has the answers. But we can only prove it with a proper MRI Study.

References

1. Skinny Fat Science: Is Muscle/Mass Genetic and How Does It Affect Skinny Fat?, November 20, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/is-muscle-mass-genetic-and-how-does-it-affect-skinny-fat/
2. Skinny Fat Science: How To Fix Skinny Fat, July 27, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/how-to-fix-skinny-fat/
3. Skinny Fat Science: What Is Skinny Fat?, July 26, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/what-is-skinny-fat/
4. 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
5. Fellow One Research: Body Type Test (Quiz) Results 1000 – 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-1000-body-type-one-bt1-male-man-millennial-generation-y/
6. 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/
7. Fellow One Research, Body Type Science: Body Type Test (Quiz) Results 1104 – Body Type Two (BT2) Female (Woman), Millennial (Generation Y). https://www.fellowone.com/fellow-one-research/the-four-body-types/body-type-quiz/body-type-test-quiz-results-1104-body-type-two-bt2-female-woman-millennial-generation-y/
8. Fellow One Research: Body Type Test (Quiz) Results 1199 – 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-1199-body-type-three-bt3-female-woman-generation-z/
9. Fellow One Research: Body Type Test (Quiz) Results 1054 – Body Type Four (BT4) Male (Man), Generation Z. https://www.fellowone.com/fellow-one-research/the-four-body-types/body-type-quiz/body-type-test-quiz-results-1054-body-type-four-bt4-male-man-generation-z/
10. 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/
11. 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
12. 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/