Are Certain Thin People Actually Obese?

Research suggests that thin people may not be as healthy as they appear.

Medical researchers at Imperial College, London, have shown that people with low or average body weight may not be healthy on the inside. These doctors believe that internal fat surrounding various vital organs could be as detrimental to health as is the more obvious (subcutaneous) fat found directly under the skin. This internal lining of fat is invisible to the naked eye but is detected by MRI machines that create "fat maps" displaying where concentrations of this internal fat are stored.

According to the research data, people who only diet and omit physical activity from their schedules are more likely to have substantial deposits of internal fat. These people may appear thin with normal body mass index scores, but are actually on the threshold of becoming fat. They eat a poor diet and do not exercise enough to compensate, but are not eating enough to visibly gain weight. Researchers claim that thin people who live a sedentary lifestyle are at greater risk of mortality than are overweight people who are consistently active.

Since 1994, the research team at Imperial College have scanned nearly 800 people; with 45 percent of women and nearly 60 percent of men with normal BMI scores found to have high levels of internal fat. The metabolic risks of internal fat are unclear.. A mistaken chemical signal to store fat inside vital organs could lead to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or heart disease. For people who want to go beyond appearing healthy to actually being healthy, there is no way around a proper, nourishing diet and appropriate physical activity. Contrary to conventional wisdom, it is possible to be "too thin" for your own good..