How fat cells work and why it’s impossible to “burn” them off

When we think about our weight it’s often tied to how much fat we have in our bodies. But earlier this year, scientists debunked body-mass index (BMI), a calculation of someone’s percentage of body fat based on their height and weight, as a measure (paywall) of overall health. The authors argued that having a high BMI didn’t necessarily mean that patients faced the same health risks that obesity can lead to; conversely, having a low BMI didn’t mean that patients were healthier.

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