Where do men store fat?

For men, fat storage patterns tend to differ compared to women due to hormonal and genetic differences. Men tend to accumulate fat in different areas of the body than women, even when they have a similar amount of total body fat. Understanding where men store fat the most can help guide nutrition and exercise strategies for losing fat in a healthy way.

Table of Contents

Abdominal Region

One of the most common places for men to store excess fat is in the abdominal region. This is due to a few key reasons:

Hormones – Men have higher levels of the hormone testosterone, which is associated with increased belly fat storage. Testosterone can drive fat accumulation in the abdomen.
Genetics – Men tend to have more fat storing receptors in the abdominal area compared to women. This predisposes the midsection to be a focal fat storage point.
Lifestyle – Factors like diet, activity levels, and stress can promote visceral fat storage in the abdomen. For example, consuming excess calories from sugary foods and alcohol is linked to abdominal fat.

Abdominal fat on men tends to manifest in two key ways:

Subcutaneous belly fat – This refers to fat stored just under the skin in the abdominal region. It causes the appearance of a distended belly or “beer gut”.
Visceral belly fat – This type of deep abdominal fat wraps around internal organs like the liver and pancreas. It’s considered unhealthy as its linked to metabolic disease, yet is unseen visually.

Many men tend to store excess fat predominantly in the abdominal region compared to women. But within this region, visceral deep belly fat is of greater health concern than subcutaneous fat.

Chest Region

The chest or upper torso region is another common place for men to accumulate excess fat tissue:

Hormones – Higher testosterone in men is linked to increased fat storage in the chest area compared to women.

Less muscle mass – Men tend to have less muscle mass in the chest/breast region compared to women. Less muscle allows more space for fat to accumulate.
Genetics – Male fat patterns see more receptors around the upper chest and back that promote fat accumulation.

Fat stored in the male chest region can lead to the appearance of “man boobs” or enlarged breast tissue. Excess chest fat is also associated with poor posture and rounded shoulders as more fat causes the chest to slump forward.

Back Region

The upper back region, along the spine between the shoulder blades, is another common place for men to store fat:

Posture changes – Excess fat on the upper back affects posture, causing rounding of the shoulders which further exacerbates fat buildup.
Less muscle definition – Men tend to have less muscular definition along the upper back, allowing this area to accumulate more fat.

Genetics – Male fat patterns see more receptors along the upper back that drive fat storage.

Excess fat on the upper back gives the appearance of a rounded, hunched upper back. This can affect the fit of clothing.

Arm Region

While less pronounced than other areas, men can also store excess arm fat:

Reduced muscle mass – With aging, men tend to lose upper body muscle mass. Loss of tone allows fat to accumulate more easily.
Genetics – Male fat patterns see minor increases in fat storing receptors in the triceps/bicep region.
Inactivity – Lack of activity leads to loss of muscle and increased localized fat storage.

Fat stored on the arms mainly manifests on the back of the arms as “batwing” fat. This causes a flabby, loose, or jiggly appearance to the upper arms.

Thighs and Buttocks

While less common in men compared to women, some fat storage can occur in the thighs and buttocks:

Hormones – Higher estrogen levels in some men can drive fat to hips/thighs.

Poor diet – A diet very high in carbohydrates and low protein can promote lower body fat storage.
Inactivity – Sedentary lifestyles and lack of lower body activity leads to muscle loss and fat gain.

Fat accumulation in the thighs and buttocks tends to be minor for most men compared to abdominal fat storage. But for some, it can still contribute to a loss of thigh and gluteal muscle definition.

Conclusion

In summary, the main storage areas for excess fat on men include:

Abdomen – This is the most common place for fat gain to occur in men, both visceral and subcutaneous.
Chest – Fat accumulation in the upper torso and chest is also a predominant male fat storage pattern.

Upper back – Storing excess fat along the upper back around the shoulder blades is common for men, contributing to poor posture.
Arms – Fat can accumulate in the biceps/triceps region, resulting in flabby “batwing” arms.
Thighs/buttocks – While less common, fat storage can still occur in the glute and thigh areas for some men.

A variety of factors drive male fat storage patterning, such as genetics, hormones, diet, and lifestyle. The best approach for men to reduce excess fat is to engage in regular exercise, especially weight training, combined with a healthy high protein diet.