Adiposity

Adiposity refers to the amount or proportion of fat in the body. It is a body-composition concept and can be expressed as total fat mass or as body fat percentage, which describes fat mass relative to total body mass. Adiposity can also be considered regionally when describing how body fat is distributed among different parts of the body .^1,2

Adiposity is closely related to, but not identical with, adipose tissue. Fat mass refers primarily to the body’s stored lipids, whereas adipose tissue is a tissue made up of fat-storing cells along with water, proteins, blood vessels, connective tissue, and other components. Adiposity can therefore describe the body’s fat content without implying that fat mass and adipose tissue are the same thing .¹

Adiposity is also distinct from body weight and body mass index, or BMI. Body weight includes fat as well as muscle, bone, water, and other tissues. BMI is calculated from weight and height and is commonly used as an indirect indicator of adiposity, but it does not measure body fat directly. People with the same BMI can differ in both the amount and distribution of body fat .^1,2

The term obesity generally refers to excess adiposity rather than adiposity itself. Adiposity is a quantitative characteristic that can vary across a continuous range, whereas obesity refers to an excessive accumulation of body fat .²