ABSTRACT
Characteristics and Functions of Adipose Tissue Adipose tissue accounts for 10-15 kg of body mass in a healthy, non-obese subject, about 15%–20% and 20%–25% of body mass in men and women, respectively. The body fat content is substantially higher for many people in developed societies, due to a combination of overeating and a sedentary lifestyle [27]. Moreover, the proportion of the population who are overweight or obese has increased in recent years, to the point that health agencies speak of an obesity epidemic [27]. The body fat content is lower for most categories of competitor, but with substantial differences between athletic disciplines: values as low as 6%–8% are seen in long-distance runners [8] and among athletes such as gymnasts and gure skaters where performance is scored in part on physical appearance [81], but percentages are quite high in pursuits where body mass confers an advantage, such as North American football [57,64], and 26% in top Sumo wrestlers [26].
