Sarcobesity
Published 5.13.2025: Dr. Daphne Bascom gives this talk from the vegan seminar, "The Truth About Weight Loss," and begins with the usual talking points about obesity, but then moves on the defining the term sarcobesity. Basically, sarcobesity is when muscle volume decreases, and is replaced with fat. Muscle loss is common due to aging, but being obese (having fat in your muscles) means that your arms will look roughly the same size, even as you lose strength.
Not surprising, being sedentary exacerbates the condition— which has only been defined recently, though obviously people have experienced it before. Frankly, if you suffer from sarcobesity, you are suffering from multiple other dread things as well— including obesity. Can't be sarcobese if you aren't already obese.
Sarcobesity is the final illness, prior to having sarcobesity, you might have sarcopenia, so they are absolutely trying to use the terms from osteoporosis. The thing is, even if your obese, if you lift weights then sarcobesity will not happen.
Because this is a newer diagnosis, a lot of the talk is related to definitions. Muscles help drive metabolism, losing them as you age is never a good thing. So the answer (beyond eat more plants) is LIFT WEIGHTS. So-called "lifting heavy" is a relative thing. What's heavy to me might not be heavy to you— nor do you have to go to the gym.
A lot of the risks she goes over with sarcobesity are the same as obesity. She's just focused on having fat in the muscles and the effect that has. Frankly, the pictures she showed had the fat underneath the skin, which I thought was the less dangerous fat. Maybe if it causes muscle loss it isn't. But this would put the lie to the "you can be fat and healthy" line. No, apparently you cannot. Because even the fat not around your internal organs can be dangerous to your health.
The ways she says to fight sarcobesity are a list of how to fight obesity, with or without drugs. (People who take obesity drugs are told to fix their lifestyles at the same time, whatever Jillian Michaels might shot. Man, she is TERRIFIED of the Glucagon-like Peptde-1 (GLP-1) drugs.) I'm not actually convinced that the term "sarcobesity" is even necessary— the one thing that could convince me was not part of her presentation.
If she had evidence that sarcobesity became more prevalent as people aged, then a separate diagnosis might be needed. But really, at that point aren't you just losing muscle? Unless you're obese the muscle isn't going to be replaced by fat, and that still means the primary diagnosis is OBESITY.
Don't be fat as you age is not as sexy as avoid sarcobesity, but it seems to amount to the same thing.
DISCLAIMER: I am NOT any type of medical professional. Do NOT take medical advice from me!!
Not surprising, being sedentary exacerbates the condition— which has only been defined recently, though obviously people have experienced it before. Frankly, if you suffer from sarcobesity, you are suffering from multiple other dread things as well— including obesity. Can't be sarcobese if you aren't already obese.
Sarcobesity is the final illness, prior to having sarcobesity, you might have sarcopenia, so they are absolutely trying to use the terms from osteoporosis. The thing is, even if your obese, if you lift weights then sarcobesity will not happen.
Because this is a newer diagnosis, a lot of the talk is related to definitions. Muscles help drive metabolism, losing them as you age is never a good thing. So the answer (beyond eat more plants) is LIFT WEIGHTS. So-called "lifting heavy" is a relative thing. What's heavy to me might not be heavy to you— nor do you have to go to the gym.
A lot of the risks she goes over with sarcobesity are the same as obesity. She's just focused on having fat in the muscles and the effect that has. Frankly, the pictures she showed had the fat underneath the skin, which I thought was the less dangerous fat. Maybe if it causes muscle loss it isn't. But this would put the lie to the "you can be fat and healthy" line. No, apparently you cannot. Because even the fat not around your internal organs can be dangerous to your health.
The ways she says to fight sarcobesity are a list of how to fight obesity, with or without drugs. (People who take obesity drugs are told to fix their lifestyles at the same time, whatever Jillian Michaels might shot. Man, she is TERRIFIED of the Glucagon-like Peptde-1 (GLP-1) drugs.) I'm not actually convinced that the term "sarcobesity" is even necessary— the one thing that could convince me was not part of her presentation.
If she had evidence that sarcobesity became more prevalent as people aged, then a separate diagnosis might be needed. But really, at that point aren't you just losing muscle? Unless you're obese the muscle isn't going to be replaced by fat, and that still means the primary diagnosis is OBESITY.
Don't be fat as you age is not as sexy as avoid sarcobesity, but it seems to amount to the same thing.
DISCLAIMER: I am NOT any type of medical professional. Do NOT take medical advice from me!!