Culturally, we sensationalize fat. Fat’s bad. Fat’s good. There’s skinny fat, and there’s just fat, fat. There are countless fat-reducing diets and there is a sociological push to embrace ones own fat. We shouldn’t comment on persons fat, while at times a doctor must in order to offer the best possible care. But a doctor who prescribes fat reduction is often considered cruel and/or cold – sometimes even lazy, because it seems that that’s the only answer he or she will give no matter what the person’s complaint or ailment. And far too many of us are obsessed with fat. Even the thinnest or most fit of us will see fat in the mirror and sleep with a scale under our bed.

Socially, emotionally and psychologically, fat is an incredibly complex topic. Here, we’re going to leave all of those things aside and just discuss the facts; starting with what a fat cell is. A single fat cell is called an adipocyte, or an adipose cell. What distinguishes these cells from other tissue cells is the adipocyte’s ability to store triglycerides. Triglycerides are the actual fat molecules. Remember, that you and your entire body is nothing more than a bit bag of chemical building blocks!

Adipose cells are found deep to your skin, and surrounding your vital organs like your heart and kidneys. They are also found in yellow bone marrow. Adipose cells pad joints and create a cushion behind the eyeball in the eye socket. Fat plays some crucial roles in maintaining health including insulation so we don’t lose too much heat through our skin, supporting and protecting our organs, and serving as an energy reserve.

We have both white and brown fatty tissue. Brown adipose tissue simply has a very rich blood supply, and participates in cellular respiration. Brown adipose tissue is widespread in infants, but as we age it declines so that there is very little found in adults.

It may surprise you to learn that a person considered skinny would have roughly the same number of adipose cells as a person who is considered overweight. With fatty weight gain, the number of cells does not increase, but instead the amount of triglycerides that each cell is storing increases. Fat cells are like little balloons. They can hold a few triglycerides, or a lot, expanding as necessary for storage. This scientifically verifies that no matter how big you are, you are you not fat. You just have fat.