Excess Body Fat Is Killing You According To Science

How too much body fat affects your longevity: what you need to know.

Understanding how excess body fat affects your health and life span is important if you’re someone who wants to live a long life. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis gives us useful information on how to do just that:

The Study

The study looked at data from 35 different studies, which included over 923,000 participants. It examined different measures of body fat, such as body fat percentage (BF%), fat mass (FM), fat mass index (FMI), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). These measures were then used to show how body fat affects the risk of dying from any cause.

Key Findings

The study found that a 10% increase in body fat percentage (BF%) is linked to an 11% higher risk of dying in adults. However, this was not true for adults over 60 years old. This might mean that the impact of body fat on death risk decreases as we age.

For every 5 kg increase in fat mass (FM), the risk of dying goes up by 6%. This makes maintaining a healthy weight more important than ever.

A 2 kg/m2 increase in fat mass index (FMI) is connected to an 11% higher risk of dying. FMI is a measure that adjusts fat mass to a person's height, which offers a more nuanced understanding of an individual's body composition and health risks. This is particularly useful in clinical settings and for individuals seeking detailed fitness and health evaluations

Visceral adipose tissue (VAT), which is the fat stored around internal organs, is especially harmful. A 1-standard deviation (SD) increase in VAT leads to a 17% higher risk of dying. This type of fat is linked to more serious health problems, like heart disease and metabolic disorders.

On the other hand, subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), which is the fat under the skin, can potentially be beneficial. An increase in SAT is linked to a 19% lower risk of dying. This type of fat might help because it stores energy and insulates the body without causing the harmful effects of VAT.

Practical Tips for Your Health

It’s important to keep your body fat percentage at a healthy level. For most adults, around 20-25% body fat is a good target to aim for. Of course, this can vary based on several factors, the most obvious being gender, age, and height. Health can look different for every individual, and cardiometabolic markers such as blood pressure, A1C, triglycerides, waist circumference, and blood lipids should be checked regularly.

Regularly checking your fat mass (FM) can help you stay within a healthy range.

Tools like bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans are useful for this. However, BIA is a more accessible tool that can be found on Amazon, which means that it’s not as accurate as other means of body fat analysis.

In fact, it may not be accurate at all! A practical way to use it, though, is by tracking the rate of change (i.e., the average increase or decrease over time) in your body measurements. That way, even though the measurements may be off, the rate of change can be used to decide how to modify your fat loss program for continued results.

Pay attention to where your fat is distributed.

Since visceral fat (VAT) is more harmful, it’s important to focus on reducing it. Regular exercise, especially aerobic activities like running or cycling, and strength training can help reduce VAT.

Eating a generally healthy diet on a consistent basis is crucial.

Choose whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Avoid too many processed foods and sugary drinks, which can lead to unhealthy fat gain and abide by the 80/20 rule: make healthy choices 80% of the time and have fun for the other 20% of the time.

Everyone is different, so the impact of body fat varies with age and individual health. Getting advice from healthcare professionals can help you create a plan that fits your specific needs. Apply to work 1:1 or in a group setting with me here.

Real-World Applications

Regular exercise is key, whether at home or in the gym.

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. That’s to say, activity that you’d have a hard time carrying on a conversation while performing. In addition, include muscle-strengthening activities on three or more days per week.

Focus on a balanced diet that supports both fat loss and overall health.

Eating more whole foods and cutting back on refined sugars and unhealthy fats can make a big difference.

Regular health checks are important.

Keep track of your body fat composition, not just your weight. Using advanced measurement tools can give you a better understanding of your health, but when all else fails, taking weekly progress photos and monitoring how your clothes fit can be helpful.

Working with healthcare providers can help you develop a personalized plan to manage body fat.

This might include nutritional counseling with a dietitian or using a reputable calorie tracking app (Code ADAM), exercise programs, and regular health screenings with your family doctor.

By understanding how different types of body fat affect your risk of dying, you can make better choices to improve your health and live longer.

Your Next Steps

If you’re looking to fast-track your results and learn how to effectively and sustainably drop the weight you’ve been holding onto for years, apply to work 1:1 with me here.

Not only will you lose the fat and build the physique you’ve been dreaming of, you’ll be able to maintain it for the rest of your life! The best part is that you won’t even realize you’ve changed anything about your lifestyle because you can still eat and drink what you like.

It’s time to level up your fitness and starting living your Fit Life.

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