Although the word “fat” is commonly used to describe all body fat, there are several types of fat in your body.
Certain types of fat can be harmful to your health and cause disease. Others are beneficial and necessary for your health.
The main types of fat cells are white, brown, and yellow cells. They are essential and can be stored as subcutaneous fat and visceral fat.
Each fat has a different function. Some normalize metabolism and hormone levels, while others cause life-threatening diseases, such as:
Type 2 diabetes
heart disease
high blood pressure
cancer
Read on to learn more about the different types of body fat.
White
White fat is the type of fat that most people immediately think of.
It consists of large white cells that are stored under the skin or around the abdomen, arms, buttocks, and thighs. These fat cells are the body’s way of storing energy and using it later.
This type of fat plays a major role in the following hormones.
estrogen
leptin (one of the hunger hormones)
insulin
cortisol (stress hormone)
growth hormone
While some white fat is essential for health, too much white fat can be very harmful. A healthy body fat percentage depends on your fitness level or level of physical activity.
According to the American Council on Exercise, non-athletes should have a total body fat percentage of 14-24 percent for non-athletes and 21-31 percent for non-athletes.
If your body fat percentage is higher than recommended, you are at risk of developing the following health problems: