A person can be slender, have normal weight and an ideal Body Mass Index (BMI) but also have high body fat percentage and low muscle mass. In some cases, the body fats are too high that such a person may be considered obese even though they have a normal BMI. This condition is known as normal weight obesity or skinny fat.

Due to a low ratio of muscle mass to fat mass, most normal weight obese individuals will observe the following: flabbiness in the stomach area, underarms and upper leg, and mild cellulite especially on the thighs and buttock area.

Pot belly in a trim person is one of the signs of normal weight obesity.  If you have a normal weight but you are slowly increasing your belt size and your clothes are starting to feel tighter around your waist, take it as a warning sign.

With the current trends in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), having a body composition assessment cannot be over emphasized. Overweight or not, purpose to have at least one consultation with a registered nutritionist dietician (RND) annually for this assessment. Don’t wait until a complication occurs to see one. Prevention is better than cure.

Remember, you may have a normal BMI but your body fat percentage may be elevated enough to increase your risk of many health conditions including diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases, just like in an obese person.

Healthy eating and regular physical exercises aren’t just for people trying to cut weight; they are meant for everyone regardless of weight, age or body shape.