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Most people know someone who can eat anything with absolutely zero consequences on their weight. They rarely eat veggies, love chips, and haven’t exercised since compulsory P.E in high school.
While it’s tempting to be envious, doctors are now warning that you shouldn’t be. New research has revealed that this “skinny fat” lifestyle is more dangerous than previously thought.
The medical term for it is “MONW,” or Metabolically Obese Normal Weight, which translates to a person who is lean but has too much fat on them and not enough muscle.
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People with a fast metabolism may look like they are healthy, but they can have the exact same medical issues as someone who is obese (like type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, sky rocketing blood pressure), and not realise it. Sometimes a person may not have a lot of fat stored up overall, but what they do have is the mostly visceral fat.
A shocking study in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that nearly one in four skinny people have pre-diabetes and are “metabolically obese.”
Dr Ruth Hand, a General Practitioner at CarnBrae Medical Clinic, warns that a person’s weight should not always be an indicator of their health, particularly when they’re thin.
“If a skinny person eats too much junk food, they can still clog up their arteries. An overweight person who exercises well is probably fitter and healthier than a skinny person who does no exercise.” Dr Hand says.
As a society, we're obsessed with physical appearance, but it's crucial to remember that health goes well beyond the way we look.
