While fat may not be a favorite topic, the study of fat is helpful in understanding its function and how to control the amount of it in your body. Perceived as the enemy and taking up too much space in the body, fat is beneficial. There are two types of fat, white and brown. While white fat functions to store energy, brown fat works to generate heat and energy, working to improve metabolism, the rate at which your body burns white fat.
Function
Fat, or adipose tissue, is located throughout your body in two forms. White fat is located just below the skin, functioning to insulate, cushion and protect organs and store energy in the form of triglycerides. When the amount of food you eat is more than the amount you burn, it is stored as white fat. Excessive amounts can lead to obesity and health problems.
Brown fat, which is actually dark red to tan in color, is located in the lower neck and shoulder area. The fat is more vascular and functions to generate heat and maintain core temperature.
Factors in Amount
The amount of brown fat varies based on age and size. Up to 5 percent of a newborn's weight is made up of brown fat, which functions to keep them warm. The fat is full of iron-rich proteins and has more mitrochondria, the energy-producing part of the cell, than white fat. The amount of brown fat decreases with age and becomes less active with maturity. According to the "New England Journal of Medicine," there is a negative correlation between brown fat and white fat. Obese individuals with high body-fat percentages, a significant amount of white fat, have a lower amount of brown fat.
Increasing Brown Fat
The amount of brown fat is increased by exposure to cold, physical activity and weight loss. Increasing and activating brown fat helps reduce excess body fat due to increases in calories burned for energy. A small amount of brown fat, about 50g, burns up to 20 percent of your daily calorie intake.
Medical Interventions
According to Medical News Today, researching how the body produces brown fat can lead to the successful treatment of obesity. When the origin of production becomes known, drugs could be manufactured to trigger the production of brown fat in the body. Another option being explored is the possibility of transplanting brown fat cells into the body.
References
- NPR: Brown Fat: Don't Try to Burn It
- Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine and Science: Adipose Tissue
- Hypertexts for Biomedical Sciences: Brown Adipose Tissue
- New England Journal of Medicine: Cold-Activated Brown Adipose Tissue in Healthy Men
- Science Daily: The Skinny on Brown Fat
- Medical News Today: More Brown Fat to Fight Obesity
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