Millions of people in the United States and around the world are overweight or obese, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Each time you consume a calorie that your body doesn't need for energy, it is stored in your fat cells. The medical term for fat cells is lipocytes. An average-sized human body has some 40 billion fat cells. In contrast, an obese body may contain as many as 100 billion. This is because your body automatically increases its production of fat cells to accommodate excess fat.
Growth
Your fat cells are in a complicated and intimate relationship with your hormones. Your hormones control the number of fat cells your body will produce, according to LifeMojo.com. Fat cells first develop while your are still in the womb. They multiple at age two and again at the onset of puberty. Fat cells in a woman multiply a third time during pregnancy. Certain hormones like estrogen and progesterone encourage the deposit of fat on the thighs and hips.
Location
Fat cells can be found in nearly all parts of your body. The only exceptions are the brain, eyelids, parts of the esophagus and the penis, according to WeightLossResources.com. Female breasts are made up almost completely of fat.
Health Risks
Fat cells can be more or less problematic depending on where in your body they settle, according to AskMen.com. For example, when you have an oversupply of abdominal fat, you are at an increased risk of high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Fat cells located in the abdomen also emit more fatty acids. This can result in diabetes, coronary artery disease, stroke and certain cancers. Abdominal fat cells can also interfere with the proper functioning of your liver.
Time Frame
Fat cells live for an average of 10 years, according to WeightLossResources.com. Although 150 fat cells die every second, new ones appear to take their place.
Solution
Eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise can help shrink the size of your fat cells, but the number of fat cells will remain constant. Liposuction is the only method in which you can remove fat cells from your body. The Mayo Clinic describes liposuction as a vacuum-assisted removal of fat that reduces the number of fat cells in a specific area of the body such as the abdomen, hips and thighs. In order to keep them from returning, however, you must commit to a nutritious eating and workout program.
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