“Women's fatty tissue contains more mitochondria compared to men. What's more, they have the potential to be more metabolically active and so they burn more energy,” he explains. In addition, insulin works better in women. Mitochondria are the small energy producers found in large numbers inside all our cells.
We need a certain amount of fat in our diets to stay healthy. Fats provide needed energy in the form of calories. Fats help our bodies absorb important vitamins—called fat-soluble vitamins—including vitamins A, D and E. Fats also make foods more flavorful and help us feel full.
Since our bodies cannot make omega-3 fat, it has to come from our diet. During pregnancy and while nursing, most of this DHA comes from a woman's stored body fat, and this is why women need to have so much more body fat than other animals (about 38 pounds of fat in a woman weighing 120 pounds).
Scientists say it has to do with muscle mass. Men tend to have greater muscle mass than women, thanks to testosterone, and muscles burn more calories than fat at rest.
This is likely due to a decreasing level of estrogen, which appears to influence where fat is distributed in the body. The tendency to gain or carry weight around the waist — and have an "apple" rather than a "pear" shape — might have a genetic component as well.
Is it possible to be overweight and healthy? Silvana Pannain, MD: Yes, you can be overweight and metabolically healthy. At the same time, we know that obesity is a disease that affects the body in many different ways. Thirteen types of cancer and 200 other health conditions are related to obesity.
"Fat helps give your body energy, protects your organs, supports cell growth, keeps cholesterol and blood pressure under control, and helps your body absorb vital nutrients.
Muscle is denser than fat, and as it is more compact within your body, as you gain muscle mass, you end up looking thinner, no matter your physical weight. So, if you've been doing a lot of strength training lately, it's likely this is the reason that you're looking fantastic but not dropping those numbers.
Your muscle mass makes up most of your weight
Because muscles are more dense and heavier than fat, bodybuilders and other professional athletes like football players are often considered obese or overweight based on their BMI alone.
Physiologically, women need more essential body fat than men. As such, women require slightly more body fat for good health. Essential body fat is necessary for insulation, the protection of internal organs, vitamin storage, and hormone regulation to promote a healthy pregnancy.
Women generally have a higher percentage of body fat than men. Also, women store more fat in the gluteal-femoral region, whereas men store more fat in the visceral (abdominal) depot.
A: The short answer is yes — it's possible for you to be both fit and overweight, even obese. What's really important to understand is what “fit” means and what “overweight” means relative to your health.
Common reasons for someone to have belly fat even when they're skinny is: Being too sedentary (inactive), which builds visceral fat around the organs and abdominal fat. Eating too many processed foods, which stores at the belly.
If you're a skinny guy with belly fat, your main problem is nutrient partitioning—you're storing fat instead of building muscle when you gain weight, and you're losing muscle instead of burning fat when you lose weight. Over time, that can make people skinny-fat.
“Both your visceral and subcutaneous fat contribute to your achieving a flat stomach, which is why some women find it harder to do so than others. Furthermore, factors like hormone regulation play a role in storing visceral fat, which is why many women are not biologically built for a flat stomach.”
Among humans, women's life span is almost 8% on average longer than men's life span. But among wild mammals, females in 60% of the studied species have, on average, 18.6% longer lifespans.
As people gain weight, excess fat tends to be centered around the abdomen, generally starting at the lower abdominal area and working up. This results in a large belly or gut protruding out from the rest of your body.
Randy Turner, the manager of the Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth Fitness Center, said that men tend to lose weight faster than women primarily due to a key physical difference. “In most cases, men have more lean muscle than women, so it's easier for them to lose weight more quickly,” he explained.
Earlier research has found that the most desired BMIs are approximately 18-20, considerably below the average or typical values of young women in well-fed populations.
Finally, an additional study found that in terms of gauging facial attractiveness, instead of rating men with strong jaws and “macho” features as more appealing, women were more drawn to men with skinnier faces.
Abs were rated the sexiest male body part by women. Having a shredded midsection certainly adds to the overall aesthetics of your physique. They are so much more important if you're planning to hit the beach with your lady love. While abs are the sexiest muscle on a man, they aren't easy to obtain.
Women generally have a higher percentage of body fat than men. Also, women store more fat in the gluteal-femoral region, whereas men store more fat in the visceral (abdominal) depot.
Women have a higher proportion of body fat compared to men. However, women consume fewer kilojoules per kilogram lean mass and burn fat more preferentially during exercise compared with men. During gestation, women store even greater amounts of fat that cannot be solely attributed to increased energy intake.