Our skinny fat science research began in 2003, 3 years before the first mention of skinny fat in the official literature. Nearly 25 years later, our research shows that skinny fat is deficient genetically-influenced muscle, not too much fat within “safe”/normal-weight BMI. #skinnyfatscience - https://fellowone.com/

White Paper: https://skinnyfatscience.com/

Blog feed: @skinnyfatscience.com@skinnyfat.fellowone.com

BMI estimates body fat. Lean body mass (LBM) – DEXA, InBody, etc. - is a composite of all non-fat body tissue. Like waist-to-hip, waist-to-height, body fat %, etc. - none directly measure muscle tissue – they’re inaccurate proxy estimates.

As of Sept. 2026, there’s no standardized:

1 - way to measure total muscle tissue (including atrophy, sarcopenia)

2 - baseline average to compare #1 to

3 - baseline phenotype to compare #1 and #2 to

4 - way to measure total genetic muscle tissue from birth

5 - way to measure how much muscle is added via resistance/exercise

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Joined 2 months ago
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Cake day: September 2nd, 2026

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  • 2006 - TOFI, 2016, normal-weight obesity.

    Every article in the white paper is thoroughly referenced.

    These are the current facts:

    1. There is no standardized way to measure total muscle tissue
    2. There is no standardized baseline average to compare #1 to
    3. There is no standardized baseline phenotype to compare #1 and #2 to
    4. There is no standardized way to measure total genetic muscle tissue from birth, or ever
    5. There is no standardized way to measure how much muscle tissue is added via exercise – resistance or extreme cardio (hypertrophy)
    6. There is no standardized way to measure how much muscle tissue is lost via poor diet, exercise, or lifestyle (atrophy)
    7. There is no standardized way to measure how much muscle tissue is lost via aging (sarcopenia)

    No one has been asked for anything.




  • No, it does not. Waist-to-height ratio does not measure muscle in any capacity. You have no idea how much muscle you were born with or without (skinny fat). You have no idea how your muscle compares to the average, because there is no baseline average to compare it to. You have no idea if your body falls within “normal” phenotype range, because there is no standardized baseline phenotype to compare it to. The next time you see your doctor, ask them how much muscle you were born with, how it compares to the average, and how it compares to the average phenotype…let us all know what they say…

    Yes, BMI is a limited, inaccurate proxy measure. But it is the only currently NIH-accepted method, and has not been officially changed by the NIH since 1998.

    Lean body mass (LBM) – DEXA, InBody, etc. – is a composite of all non-fat body tissue. it is also not a direct measure of muscle tissue. Like BMI and waist-to-height ratio, LBM is an inaccurate proxy estimate at best.

    As of September 13, 2026 –

    1. There is no standardized way to measure total muscle tissue
    2. There is no standardized baseline average to compare #1 to
    3. There is no standardized baseline phenotype to compare #1 and #2 to
    4. There is no standardized way to measure total genetic muscle tissue from birth, or ever
    5. There is no standardized way to measure how much muscle tissue is added via exercise – resistance or extreme cardio (hypertrophy)
    6. There is no standardized way to measure how much muscle tissue is lost via poor diet, exercise, or lifestyle (atrophy)
    7. There is no standardized way to measure how much muscle tissue is lost via aging (sarcopenia)



  • Yes, BMI is a limited, inaccurate proxy measure.

    Lean body mass (LBM) – DEXA, InBody, etc. – is a composite of all non-fat body tissue. it is also not a direct measure of muscle tissue. Like BMI, LBM is an inaccurate proxy estimate at best.

    As of September 13, 2026 –

    1. There is no standardized way to measure total muscle tissue
    2. There is no standardized baseline average to compare #1 to
    3. There is no standardized baseline phenotype to compare #1 and #2 to
    4. There is no standardized way to measure total genetic muscle tissue from birth, or ever
    5. There is no standardized way to measure how much muscle tissue is added via exercise – resistance or extreme cardio (hypertrophy)
    6. There is no standardized way to measure how much muscle tissue is lost via poor diet, exercise, or lifestyle (atrophy)
    7. There is no standardized way to measure how much muscle tissue is lost via aging (sarcopenia)

  • If you had actually read the science, you would understand that we are not arguing for BMI. it is very limited. So your comment proves you do not understand.

    Lean body mass (LBM) – DEXA, InBody, etc. – is a composite of all non-fat body tissue. it is not a direct measure of muscle tissue. Like BMI, LBM is an inaccurate proxy estimate at best.

    As of September 13, 2026 –

    1. There is no standardized way to measure total muscle tissue
    2. There is no standardized baseline average to compare #1 to
    3. There is no standardized baseline phenotype to compare #1 and #2 to
    4. There is no standardized way to measure total genetic muscle tissue from birth, or ever
    5. There is no standardized way to measure how much muscle tissue is added via exercise – resistance or extreme cardio (hypertrophy)
    6. There is no standardized way to measure how much muscle tissue is lost via poor diet, exercise, or lifestyle (atrophy)
    7. There is no standardized way to measure how much muscle tissue is lost via aging (sarcopenia)

    Please actually read the science before you make unfounded assumptions.