Everyone probably has at least one friend who never has to exercise and yet seems to be able to eat anything they want without gaining an ounce.

It might seem totally unfair that a person can be blessed with such great DNA, but the truth is that outward appearance can be very deceptive.

Being skinny fat essentially means that a person looks fine on the outside but actually has a high percentage of body fat compared to lean muscle.

Someone who is skinny fat is relatively weak, with deteriorating muscle tissue due to a lack of strength training or cardio, and is also at a far greater risk of having health issues like heart disease.

Keep reading to see a list of health risks associated with being skinny fat.

8 Dangerous Health Risks Associated With Being Skinny Fat

Is your weight okay but you’re still worried about being skinny fat? Find out what the risks are and what you can do about it before it’s too late.

1. Ratio of Fat to Muscle Imbalance

Having a certain amount of body fat is good. It’s necessary for things like hormone production, thermoregulation, and cushion for vital organs among other things. But it’s also very unhealthy to have too much body fat.

Being a healthy person isn’t about simply looking thin. When you have a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle, you might not gain weight, but you are consuming processed foods that are high in sugar, and this is actually very dangerous because the damage to your body isn’t visible to the naked eye.

2. Becoming Metabolically Obese

MONW is a medical term used to describe people who are skinny fat. This term means “Metabolically Obese, Normal Weight,” and refers to the phenomenon of people who might be normal or even underweight, yet have a high percentage of body fat due to poor diet, lack of muscle, and sedentary lifestyles.

This condition is reflected in a number crucial health criteria that are often elevated, such as high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and vitamin deficiencies.

3. Increased Risk of Diabetes

People who are skinny fat tend to develop health and diet habits that can result in type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Gaining weight is typically the bodies natural alert system for telling you it’s time to make a change, but when you are skinny fat these health concerns are more likely to go unnoticed.

Doctors see patients all the time who look perfectly healthy, yet on the inside, they are a total mess. One study found that nearly a fourth of American adults with normal weight had some form of unhealthy heart.

4. Muscle Deterioration

While it might be a natural human impulse to be envious of people who seem to remain naturally skinny regardless of lifestyle, don’t be fooled by outward appearance alone. A poor diet and lack of exercise can do a tremendous amount of internal damage over time.

Keeping yourself physically fit is a vital part of remaining healthy. Strong, healthy muscles play a significant roll in the way the body functions. Staying fit with regular cardio activities helps with blood circulation and feeds oxygen to vital organs, as well as keeping the heart and lungs strong.

Living a sedentary lifestyle produces weak muscles, and this deterioration can lead to a number of other related health issues down the road. As your physical strength fades, your body will be less able to adequately cope with the stresses of life.

5. Increased Risk of Heart Disease

Heart disease is known as an invisible killer. Many things contribute to heart health, from physical activity to the quality of your diet, as well as stress. Whenever you gain weight, this is an opportunity to acknowledge that lifestyle changes need to be made in order to correct the issue. You can change your diet, develop an exercise plan, or visit your doctor for advice.

Yet people who are skinny fat receive no outward physical cues. Thus the behaviors that contributed to their serious medical conditions like heart disease are likely to continue. This can ultimately prove to be a disaster as the person gets older.

6. Increased Risk of Cancer

There is a multitude of diseases caused by chronic systemic inflammation. This is a trigger behind conditions like asthma, Alzheimer’s, chronic pain, heart disease, and even cancer. Inflammation can be caused by things like poor diet, lack of exercise and stress. Your doctor would be the first to warn you that systemic inflammation can lead to all kinds of chronic diseases like cancer, putting you at risk of premature death.

7. Increased Risk of Depression

Depression is very typical of people with poor diet and exercise habits. Being skinny doesn’t automatically translate to good physical health, and anyone suffering from poor physical health is at greater risk for poor mental health as well.

Because your mental health can often be a direct reflection of the state of our physical health, we cannot overemphasize the value of giving your diet and exercise habits serious attention. Depression and lack of physical activity typically seem to feed off each other, causing you to spiral deeper into negative lifestyle patterns.

8. Increased Risk of Digestive Issues

Digestive problems are also on the list of medical issues that can arise from chronic systemic inflammation, caused by poor lifestyle choices like lack of exercise and low quality of diet. Digestive disorders can often be long-lasting and serious if not given proper attention.

Never Take the Inside for Granted

A skinny fat person might genuinely believe that he or she has simply been blessed with good genes. It obviously sounds wonderful to eat as you wish without having to worry about hitting the gym to burn off the calories that make you fat.

But as we’ve learned, the truth is much bleaker. A skinny fat body type is deceptively unhealthy, regardless of what might appear attractive to the outside world.

Always keep in mind that physical health is much more than the size of your belly or how much you weigh.