I remember a patient, let’s call her Sarah, coming into the clinic a while back. She looked a bit worried, pinching the side of her waist. “Doc,” she said, “it’s this stuff… this pinchable fat. What is it, and is it bad for me?” It’s a question I hear quite often, and it’s a good one. That “pinchable fat” Sarah was pointing to? That’s what we call subcutaneous fat. It’s a completely normal part of our bodies, but it’s worth understanding.
So, What Exactly is Subcutaneous Fat?
Alright, let’s break it down. Subcutaneous fat is simply the layer of fat that sits just beneath your skin. Your skin actually has three main layers: the epidermis (the very top layer), the dermis (the middle bit), and then, deepest down, this subcutaneous fat layer.
And it’s not just sitting there; it has some pretty important jobs:
- It acts like a cushion, padding your muscles and bones, protecting you from everyday bumps and falls.
- It helps blood vessels and nerves travel from your skin down to your muscles.
- It’s like your body’s personal thermostat, helping to make sure you don’t get too warm or too cold.
- It also has special connective tissue that helps attach your dermis (that middle skin layer) to your muscles and bones.
Now, you might have also heard about visceral fat. It’s important to know they’re different. Visceral fat is the deeper kind, the fat that surrounds your internal organs like your stomach, liver, and intestines. You can’t see it or pinch it from the outside. Subcutaneous fat, on the other hand, is the one you can pinch – it tends to gather around the hips, butt, thighs, and belly. Think of subcutaneous fat as the more visible type, while visceral fat is the hidden kind.
Why Do Some People Have More Subcutaneous Fat?
It’s a mix of things, really. We all start with some subcutaneous fat; our genetics play a role in that initial amount. But then, environmental and lifestyle factors come into play and can influence how much we develop over time.
The main things I see in my practice that can lead to an increase in subcutaneous fat are:
- Diet: If we’re consistently eating more calories than our body uses, especially from foods high in unhealthy fats, that extra energy often gets stored as fat.
- Activity Levels: Living a more sedentary life, without much aerobic activity (like brisk walking, swimming, or cycling), can certainly contribute.
- Muscle Mass: Sometimes, having lower muscle mass can mean there’s more opportunity for fat storage.
- Underlying Conditions: In some cases, conditions like diabetes or having insulin resistance (where your body doesn’t respond well to the hormone insulin) can also lead to storing more subcutaneous fat.
Is Too Much Subcutaneous Fat a Worry?
A certain amount of subcutaneous fat is perfectly normal and, frankly, quite helpful for all those reasons we just talked about. It’s when we have too much that we start to think about potential health concerns.
Often, if someone has a lot of subcutaneous fat, it can be a bit of a clue that they might also have too much of that deeper visceral fat. And it’s really the excess visceral fat that can lead to some serious health bumps down the road. These can include:
- Certain cancers: Extra body fat has been linked to an increased risk for some types of cancer.
- Fatty liver diseases: This is when too much fat builds up in your liver.
- Gallbladder diseases: This can include things like gallstones, which might lead to an inflamed gallbladder (a condition called cholecystitis).
- Heart disease: Problems affecting your heart’s health.
- High blood pressure (hypertension): When blood pushes against your artery walls with too much force.
- Kidney disease: Damage to your kidneys that affects their ability to filter blood properly.
- Osteoarthritis: A joint condition causing pain, swelling, and less movement.
- Sleep apnea: A sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts.
- Stroke: This happens when blood supply to the brain is cut off.
- Type 2 diabetes: A condition where your blood sugar levels are too high.
How Do We Get a Handle on Subcutaneous Fat Levels?
Good question! For most of us, subcutaneous fat makes up about 90% of our total body fat. That remaining 10% is typically visceral fat. While we don’t usually do a specific “subcutaneous fat test” in a routine check-up, we look at overall body composition and indicators of excess fat. You can even track some of these yourself:
- Body Mass Index (BMI): This is a calculation based on your height and weight. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 might indicate you’re in the overweight range, and a BMI of 30 or more could suggest obesity. It’s a starting point for conversation.
- Waist Circumference: This is a simple but very useful measurement. We just use a tape measure around your waist, just above your hip bones (often near your belly button). For women, a measurement of 35 inches or more can be a sign of increased health risk. For men, that number is 40 inches or more.
- Waist-to-Height Ratio: Another helpful one. You divide your waist circumference by your height. A healthy ratio is generally considered to be 0.5 or less. The simple message here is to try and keep your waist size to less than half of your height.
Tips for Managing Subcutaneous Fat
If you’re looking to reduce your subcutaneous fat, the good news is that the strategies are generally the same ones that support overall health and weight management. It’s really about building and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Think of it as a long-term commitment to feeling your best.
Here’s what we often discuss:
- Diet is Key:
- It often comes down to creating a slight calorie deficit – burning a bit more energy than you consume. Sounds simple, but it’s effective over time.
- Focus on lean proteins (chicken, fish, beans, lentils – they help you feel fuller for longer!), whole grains, plenty of fruits and vegetables, and low-fat dairy options.
- Try to ease up on refined carbohydrates (like white bread and pastries), sugary drinks and foods, excessive salt, and large amounts of red meat.
- Get Moving:
- Your body stores energy in fat, including subcutaneous fat. So, we need to use that stored energy by burning calories.
- Activities like aerobic exercise (think brisk walking, jogging, cycling, dancing), strength training (which builds muscle, and muscle burns more calories at rest!), general cardio workouts, and even High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) can be fantastic. HIIT involves short bursts of intense effort followed by brief recovery periods – it can be a real calorie-burner! Mix it up and find what you enjoy.
- Sleep Well:
- Honestly, don’t underestimate the power of good sleep! When we’re sleep-deprived, our hunger hormones can get out of whack, often leading to cravings for high-carb, high-calorie foods.
- Try to establish a relaxing bedtime routine. Maybe less screen time right before bed, and avoiding heavy meals too late in the evening.
- Manage Stress:
- This one can be tough, I know! But when we’re stressed, our bodies release a hormone called cortisol. Chronically high cortisol levels can actually make it harder to lose weight and can even encourage your body to hold onto excess fat, particularly around the middle. Finding healthy ways to cope with stress is so important.
Take-Home Message: Understanding Your Subcutaneous Fat
So, let’s quickly recap the main points about subcutaneous fat:
- It’s the pinchable fat just under your skin; it’s normal and has several important jobs in your body.
- It’s different from visceral fat, which is located deeper inside, around your organs.
- A combination of genetics, your diet, how active you are, and certain health conditions can influence how much subcutaneous fat you have.
- While some is necessary and good, having too much subcutaneous fat can sometimes indicate an excess of visceral fat too, which can increase the risk for health issues like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and others.
- Managing subcutaneous fat generally involves a commitment to a healthy diet, regular physical activity, ensuring you get enough quality sleep, and finding ways to manage stress.
- If you’re ever concerned about your body fat or weight, simple measurements like your waist circumference can be a good starting point for a discussion with your doctor.
Remember, making small, consistent changes to your lifestyle can lead to big differences in your health over time. And you’re not alone in figuring this out. We’re here to help guide and support you.