The Top 8 Skinny Fat Myths, Debunked By Science

Skinny fat has become a hugely popular topic in the last decade or so since first being mentioned in the scientific literature in 2006 (1). Because skinny fat science is so young, the internet and social media are inundated with skinny fat misinformation and disinformation. We have wrangled the top 8 skinny fat myths as debunked by the latest science.

Do a Google Search for “what is skinny fat” and it tells you that skinny fat is normal weight obesity — having too much body fat (regular white/yellow fat/adipose tissue)(2) even when within safe BMI — as well as visceral fat, no less.

Regular Obesity Versus Normal Weight Obesity – The Top 8 Skinny Fat Myths, Debunked By Science

It is a fact that regular obesity is scientifically/medically defined (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) by the Standard BMI as having too much regular white/yellow fat (body fat) on your body taking you outside safe BMI (18.5 to 24.99) into overweight (25 to 29.99) and obese (30+) BMI. This is literally how science/medicine currently defines and knows if someone is technically overweight or obese, or not.

Yes, BMI is inaccurate. But it is the current standard, and the ONLY standard. Which is better than anarchy. And the Body Type Science Theory research (8) is working to make the BMI more accurate.

More to the point, the definition (1) of normal weight obesity is being within safe BMI yet still somehow having too much fat on your body. We know for a fact that once you are within safe BMI you no longer have any excess regular body fat to lose. So, if a person experiencing skinny fat does not have excess regular fat (body fat), then how can they have too much fat? Skinny fat is unique genetic tissue (1). 

The Top 8 Skinny Fat Myths

Myth #1 – Skinny Fat is Merely a Colloquial Term and is Not Real

Myth #2 – Skinny Fat is Regular White/Yellow Fat (Body Fat)

Myth #3 – Skinny Fat is Visceral Fat

Myth #4 – Skinny Fat is Caused By Diet

Myth #5 – Skinny Fat is Caused By Cardio Exercise

Myth #6 – Skinny Fat is Avoided & Cured By Eating More Protein

Myth #7 – Skinny Fat is Cured By Adding Muscle Mass

Myth #8 – Skinny Fat is a Genetic Excuse For Losers

This one image scientifically debunks all eight of those claims:

The 22.7 BMI person is within safe BMI and thus has no excess regular body fat. While the lack of muscle tissue on their love handles and lower back is obvious. When compared to a Standard Body Type One (BT1)(1, 8, 9), like Research Participant 1088 (10) who has all 600+ muscles developed including his lower back and love handle muscles — and his safe BMI is higher at 24.0 —  it is clear something is amiss.

We know the tissue on BMI 22.7’s lower back and love handles is not muscle tissue or regular fat tissue – Myth #2 busted. But, it has to be some type of tissue, as it does, indeed, exist, and thus is very real – Myth #1 busted. It is genetic skinny fat tissue; IE thin fat tissue. Why are the love handles and lower back the only areas on BMI 22.7’s body that have skinny fat tissue?

@skinnyfatfitness

Skinny Fat Myth #1 – Skinny fat is a colloquial term and is not real. #skinnyfat #myth #weightloss #tiktokchallege #fyp #science @Dr. Skinny Fat @Body Type Science

♬ original sound – GeorgiosSkinnyFatFitness

Debunked By Science, The Top 8 Skinny Fat Myths

Visceral fat (11, 12), fat that surrounds the organs in your abdominal cavity deep inside you, is typically regular white/yellow fat (13, 14, 15), but it can also be brown fat or beige fat. It is clear that BMI 22.7 is not experiencing any obvious visceral fat. Yet, they are experiencing obvious skinny fat tissue on their love handles and lower back.

People experiencing skinny fat tissue on their abdomen/stomach can, indeed, also be experiencing visceral white/yellow fat. But, as clearly demonstrated with this BMI 22.7 person, skinny fat and visceral fat are two separate, different, independent things. They are not the same. Skinny fat tissue is not visceral fat; Myth #3 busted. Skinny fat is only subcutaneous. 

You can technically lose 100% of your regular body fat yet your skinny fat tissue will remain. This is one of the many reasons why eating disorder (ED/anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, etc.) people fail; they are convinced if they just lose enough regular white/yellow body fat that they will get the body they desire. Not likely if they are experiencing skinny fat tissue. And, most are.

Diet, Protein, and Exercise

Some of the most popular spiel claims that the source of skinny fat is improper diet and exercise. In other words, eating a poor diet that has too many carbs and too little protein leads to muscle tissue being lost and that lost muscle tissue somehow turns into skinny fat tissue. No matter that muscle tissue cannot and does not turn into any kind of fat tissue, or vice versa — there is no dispute or debate about this rock-solid scientific/medical fact (16, 17, 18, 19, 20). Just as no amount of protein magically prevents skinny fat or turns skinny fat tissue into muscle tissue. This is not how human tissue works!!!

The same goes for the claim that too much cardio exercise causes skinny fat. Again, muscle tissue cannot magically turn into skinny fat tissue, or vice versa. As well, no amount of weightlifting magically turns skinny fat tissue into muscle tissue.

You can add muscle mass to temporarily recomposition your body and reduce skinny fat. And, maybe, if you are experiencing a low enough amount of skinny fat and you work hard enough, you may be able to look like the Standard Body Tpe One (BT1). If you don’t already, naturally/genetically.

Body Recomposition – Unique Genetic Body Composition (Scientific Body Type)

But, you cannot and do not permanently (21) change your unique genetic body composition. You will have to diligently maintain any added muscle mass along with regular fat levels for the rest of your life. If/when you fail to keep up the exercise that built the added muscle mass, you will inevitably gradually lose the added muscle mass and eventually return to your original default genetic body composition including muscle/mass (or lack of) and skinny fat (if you are experiencing it), like Research Participant 378 (22). Likely adding regular fat weight along the way.

So, no, diet and exercise do not cause skinny fat and no amount of protein or weightlifting and added muscle mass magically prevents or cures skinny fat – Myth #4, Myth #5, Myth #6, and Myth #7 busted! Although diet (23), exercise (24), and lifestyle (25) most certainly directly influence unique genetic body composition, including skinny fat.

The Top 8 Skinny Fat Myths – Genetics

So many people in the world would give everything to be able to naturally, permanently change their height, facial features, breast size, genital size, eye color, hair color, skin color, and the like. But they can’t, thanks to genetics (26, 21). Although they can pay for surgery or try some other unnatural way.

Just as they cannot naturally, permanently change their unique genetic body composition. Genetics. This is a fact, presently. No matter what BS anyone tells them on social media, Google, or the like.

Your skin color (genetics) is not an excuse. No human being can naturally, permanently change their skin color (27, 28) to avoid experiencing racism or whatever. Just as no person who is short in height (29, 30) – genetics – can naturally, permanently make themself taller.

Unique genetic body composition is no different.

No human being can naturally, permanently change (21, 26) their unique genetic body composition (31). But you can temporarily change (32, 33, 34, 35) it in terms of adding muscle mass and losing regular fat (body fat) while reducing skinny fat (if you are genetically experiencing it). Genetics is not an excuse, it is a fact — Myth #8 busted.

How Skinny Fat Affects GLP-1 (Ozempic) Weight Loss & Muscle Mass

References

1. Skinny Fat Science: What Is Skinny Fat?, July 26, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/what-is-skinny-fat/
2. Cleveland Clinic: Adipose Tissue (Body Fat). August 18, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24052-adipose-tissue-body-fat
3. Healthline: Brown Fat: What You Should Know, March 22, 2023, Ashley Marcin (Medically reviewed by Lisa Hodgson, RDN, CDN, CDCES, FADCES, Nutrition). https://www.healthline.com/health/brown-fat
4. NIH, National Heart, Ling, and Blood Institute: Calculate Your Body Mass Index. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm
5. World Health Organization (WHO): Obesity. https://www.who.int/health-topics/obesity/
6. NIH, National Institutes of Health: How brown fat improves metabolism, September 10, 2019. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-brown-fat-improves-metabolism
7. Cleveland Clinic: Brown Fat, August 7, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24015-brown-fat
8. 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/
9. Skinny Fat Science: How Skinny Fat Affects GLP-1 (Ozempic) Weight Loss & Muscle Mass, October 16, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/how-skinny-fat-affects-glp-1-ozempic-weight-loss-muscle-mass/
10. 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/
11. WebMD: Visceral Fat: What Is It?, April 8, 2024, Paul Frysh and Kendall K. Morgan (Medically reviewed by Poonam Sachdev). https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-is-visceral-fat
12. Cleveland Clinic: Visceral Fat. September 12, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24147-visceral-fat
13. Healthline: Types of Body Fat: Benefits, Dangers, and More, May 14, 2019, Megan Dix, RN, BSN (Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M.S., NASM-CPT, NASE Level II-CSS, Fitness). https://www.healthline.com/health/types-of-body-fat
14. WebMD: What You Need to Know About Body Fat, October 25, 2022, Christine Yu (Medically reviewed by Carol DerSarkissian, MD). https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-truth-about-fat
15. NIH, National Institutes of Health: Switching harmful visceral fat to beneficial energy combustion improves metabolic dysfunctions, February 23, 2017, Xiaoyan Yang, Wenhai Sui, Meng Zhang, Mei Dong, Sharon Lim, Takahiro Seki, Ziheng Guo, Carina Fischer, Huixia Lu, Cheng Zhang, Jianmin Yang, Meng Zhang, Yangang Wang, Caixia Cao, Yanyan Gao, Xingguo Zhao, Meili Sun, Yuping Sun, Rujie Zhuang, Nilesh J. Samani, Yun Zhang, and Yihai Cao. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5313060/
16. Healthline: Does Fat Turn into Muscle? March 2, 2021, Katey Davidson, MScFN, RD, CPT (Medically reviewed by Jake Tipane, CPT). What to Know, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-fat-turn-into-muscle
17. NIH, National Institutes of Health: Muscle-to-fat interaction: a two-way street?, January 1, 2010, Bente K Pedersen. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2821541/
18. The New York Times: The Claim: Muscle Turns to Fat When You Stop Working Out, July 26, 2005, Anahad O’Connor. https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/26/health/nutrition/the-claim-muscle-turns-to-fat-when-you-stop-working-out.html
19. physioactive: Can Your Muscles Turn Into Fat and Vice Versa?, March 25, 2020. https://physioactive.sg/can-muscles-turn-fat-vice-versa/
20. Examine: Will lifting weights convert my fat into muscle?, October 5, 2024, Kamal Patel. https://examine.com/faq/will-lifting-weights-convert-my-fat-into-muscle/?srsltid=AfmBOoqAjic_7eVN-X_rw-q9JakX3QyUzZNQBEdygDXJheGrJe58yyUY
21. Skinny Fat Science: How to Fix Skinny Fat, July 27, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/how-to-fix-skinny-fat/
22. Fellow One Research: Research Participant 378 – Body Type Two (BT2) Male (Man), Millennial (Generation Y). https://www.fellowone.com/fellow-one-research/the-four-body-types/body-type-quiz/research-participant-378-body-type-two-bt2-male-man-millennial-generation-y/
23. Skinny Fat Science: The Best Skinny Fat Diet, According to Science, July 29, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/the-best-skinny-fat-diet-according-to-science/
24. Skinny Fat Science: The Best Skinny Fat Exercise, According to Science. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/the-best-skinny-fat-exercise-according-to-science/
25. Skinny Fat Science: The Best Skinny Fat Lifestyle, According to Science, August 4, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/the-best-skinny-fat-lifestyle-according-to-science/
26. Skinny Fat Science: Can I Have A Skinny Fat Body And Be Fit & Healthy?, October 30, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/can-i-have-a-skinny-fat-body-and-be-fit-and-healthy
27. Wikipedia: Human skin color. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_skin_color
28. HowStuffWorks: Which genetic factors affect skin?, Sarah Siddons. https://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/information/health-factors/genetic-factors-affect-skin.htm
29. Healthline: Is Height Genetic? Yes and No, December 11, 2020, Kristeen Cherney (Medically reviewed by Jenneh Rishe, RN). https://www.healthline.com/health/is-height-genetic
30. MedlinePlus: Is height determined by genetics?, https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/traits/height/
31. Scientific Body Type Quiz: Scientific Body Type Quiz (Official), https://scientificbodytypequiz.fellowone.com/product/scientific-body-type-quiz-official/
32. Skinny Fat Science: Best Skinny Fat Resistance Exercises. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/best-skinny-fat-resistance-exercises/
33. Skinny Fat Science: Best Skinny Fat Cardio Exercises. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/best-skinny-fat-cardio-exercises/
34. Skinny Fat Science: The Best Skinny Fat Diet, According to Science. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/the-best-skinny-fat-diet-according-to-science/
35. Skinny Fat Science: The Best Skinny Fat Lifestyle, According to Science. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/the-best-skinny-fat-lifestyle-according-to-science/