Skinny Fat – The Future

Imagine a day when you can download an app that accurately measures your muscle tissue, compares it to a validated reference range, and tracks changes over time. Affordably and safely, in the comfort of your home. No more inaccurate “lean body mass (LBM)” gross estimates. Our MRI Study (1) is the scientific foundation that makes this possible. By establishing the first validated baseline of total genetic muscle tissue, we are building the core dataset that future tools will rely on for accurate measurement and interpretation.

The MRI Study is designed to establish a validated protocol to accurately measure total genetic muscle tissue, and a standard average to compare it to. Thus, enabling clinical identification and diagnosis of low muscle tissue (skinny fat)(2), no less. Once acquired, this dataset supports broader applications, including software‑based tools capable of accurately quantifying an individual’s muscle tissue, comparing it to a defined reference range, and tracking changes over time.

Skinny Fat – The Future

Currently, Lean Body Mass (LBM)(3, 4, 5) — defined as the total weight of your body minus all body fat, encompassing muscles, bones, organs, water, and essential fat — calculations are considered a critical metric for tracking physical fitness, metabolic health, and determining dosages for specific medical treatments, at a minimum. LBM, at present, is the only way to roughly estimate muscle tissue. Yet, it cannot accurately measure muscle tissue. Instead, it is commonly and grossly assumed that all human beings are born with the same general amount of genetic muscle relative to height and gender. There is zero scientific evidence to support this false claim.

Muscle is the main glucose uptake tissue (6) in the human body and directly affects metabolism (7, 8). Without the ability to accurately measure total muscle tissue, there is no way to accurately calculate metabolism. Hence, there is no way to know how many calories each unique person requires daily. Because LBM is a “critical metric” for tracking metabolism health, at least, is it any wonder why the human health crisis (9, 10, 11) — including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cancer — is getting worse globally?

Skinny fat is low muscle tissue (12, 13, 14) — a lack of genetic muscle. The initial 2016 NIH definition (13, 14, 12) of skinny fat is not accurate. Science had to start somewhere, but like all science, as more data rolls in, definitions must evolve to accurately reflect the latest science (14, 12, 13). Instead, mainstream science, medical personnel, and social media, in general, adamantly cling to the initial inaccurate NIH skinny fat definition, claiming that it is too much regular white/yellow fat when within safe BMI. Regardless of the fact that the NIH definition directly contradicts the current NIH-approved and accepted BMI definition (12, 13, 14).

The Future – Accurate Muscle Tissue Measurements

NIH scientific protocol and mere common sense deem that no one and no entity can arbitrarily change any accepted and approved scientific definition without following proper, established protocol. The official BMI definition has not changed since 1998 (15, 12, 13, 14). Yet, when the 2016 NIH definition for skinny fat was released, it did not matter that it directly violates the officially approved BMI definition.

However, it does matter.  Just as the established blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol standards matter. Perhaps one day, new science will trigger an official reassessment of those standards and an official definition change. But, until then, those standards are written in stone. Just like the BMI definition.

It is unacceptable that, in 2026, there is no way to accurately measure total genetic muscle tissue. No way to accurately measure muscle tissue gains via resistance/exercise. And no way to measure how much muscle tissue is lost via diet, exercise, lifestyle, and aging (sarcopenia). Let alone no way to accurately calculate each unique person’s metabolism and calories burned. Moreover, even if such measurements did exist, there is no universal scientific average muscle tissue measurement to compare things to. Our MRI Study (1) is the solution, and the future.

Scientific Health Quizzes – Body Composition, Metabolism, Diet, Exercise, Lifestyle

Until our MRI Study is complete, we have wrangled the latest science and developed the Scientific Health Quizzes. The Scientific Body Type Quiz accurately estimates body composition, particularly skinny fat. The Scientific Metabolism Quiz accurately calculates slow, average, fast metabolism along with decreased, steady, or increased metabolic rate. The Scientific Diet, Exercise, and Lifestyle Quizzes help you better understand your daily routines.

Quizzes are stored in your free, private, secure account, allowing you to easily track your progress and changes over time. Free options are available.

References

1. Skinny Fat Science: Scientific Skinny Fat MRI Study – Proving What Skinny Fat Is, May 26, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/scientific-skinny-fat-mri-study-proving-what-skinny-fat-is/
2. Skinny Fat Science: Is Low Muscle Genetic?, April 15, 2026. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/is-low-muscle-genetic/
3. Wikiedia: Lean body mass. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lean_body_mass
4. NIH, National Library of Medicine: Lean body mass: the development and validation of prediction equations in healthy adults, October 14, 2013. Solomon Yu, Thavarajah Visvanathan, John Field, Leigh C Ward, Ian Chapman, Robert Adams, Gary Wittert, and Renuka Visvanathan. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3833312/
5. ScienceDirect: Are Lean Body Mass and Fat-Free Mass the Same or Different Body Components? A Critical Perspective, December 2024, Volume 15, Issue 12, Steven B Heymsfield, Jasmine Brown, Sophia Ramirez, Carla M Prado, Grant M Tinsley, and Maria Cristina Gonzalez. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831324001698
6. Skinny Fat Science: Skinny Fat & Insulin Resistance, June 4, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/skinny-fat-insulin-resistance/
7. Skinny Fat Science: How Skinny Fat Affects Metabolism, August 7, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/how-skinny-fat-affects-metabolism/
8. 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/
9. Skinny Fat Science: Skinny Fat Science Supports the Growing Youth Movement for Healthy Diet, Exercise, and Lifestyle, November 26, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/skinny-fat-science-supports-the-growing-youth-movement-for-healthy-diet-exercise-and-lifestyle/
10. Skinny Fat Science: How the Skinny Fat Crisis Affects the Global Obesity Epidemic, September 25, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/how-the-skinny-fat-crisis-affects-the-global-obesity-epidemic/
11. Skinny Fat Science: How Skinny Fat Affects Mental Health, August 21, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/how-skinny-fat-affects-mental-health/
12. Skinny Fat Science: What Is Skinny Fat?, July 26, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/what-is-skinny-fat/
13. Skinny Fat Science: Skinny Fat is a Lack of Genetic Muscle – Beyond Normal-Weight Obesity, August 13, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/skinny-fat-is-a-lack-of-genetic-muscle-beyond-normal-weight-obesity/
14. kinny Fat Science: Skinny Fat Is More Than Just Normal-Weight Obesity, August 2, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/skinny-fat-is-more-than-just-normal-weight-obesity/
15. Skinny Fat Science: Skinny Fat Data, May 20, 2026. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/skinny-fat-data/