Our Need for Fat

Everyone wants to be thin, and to have as little body fat as possible, but the human body needs a certain amount of fat in order for it to be healthy and function normally.
The layer of fat on our bodies helps us to stay warm when temperatures are low. The fat on our bodies is burned as energy and fat plays a critical role in the protection of organs. Fat is positioned around some organs to protect them from injury. Fat also plays a role in the correct hormonal balance we have.
Every human needs some fat on their body to be healthy, and females have an extra layer of body fat. This extra fat is part of why females are softer than males, and the extra fat helps to regulate the human hormones the female needs to be fertile, and bear children.

Bad Places for Fat to Accumulate

When the visceral fat that surrounds internal organs begins to build up around the heart, or to build up in the liver, then the individual is at an increased risk for serious health complications. You might look at the person and think they are healthy and physically fit, but what you cannot see is the impending heart complications, and other illnesses these people will suffer because they have fat deposits in the wrong place.

Subcutaneous fat

The fat that is noticeable by everyone is called subcutaneous fat. This type of fat develops and builds up beneath our skin. It can be unsightly. Subcutaneous fat can cause us to move slower, and have a harder time breathing, but it does not pose the health risks that excessive visceral fat does. It is better to be fat and have it show than fat on the inside and appear thin on the outside.

Unseen Fat Deposits

You cannot see the amount of fat that is building up around your heart. This fat can cause your heart to be incapable of properly functioning and can lead to heart disease, and cardiac arrests. The fat around your heart, and the fat that leads to nonalcoholic fatty liver conditions is called ectopic fat. It is the most dangerous type of fat.
Your eyes can have fat build up in the periphery of the cornea. Fat that builds up behind the eye can cause the eyeball to bulge outwards, and this can lead to vision problems.
The extra fat that you get in your breast tissue when you gain weight is a type of subcutaneous fat and it is not really a major health concern for most people, but it can make the discovery of certain breast cancers difficult.
Fat deposits on your hips, legs and buttocks are not really a major concern, but the fat that builds up around your middle could lead you to diseases like diabetes, heart disease, or a stroke.