fettlagrets

Fettlagrets refers to the body's fat stores, i.e., adipose tissue depots, in Swedish-language medical and nutritional literature. It denotes the body's reserves of energy stored as triglycerides within adipocytes and distributed across different anatomical compartments, primarily subcutaneous and visceral fat.

Adipose tissue consists mainly of white adipose tissue, with brown adipose tissue present in smaller amounts, especially in infants and in specific regions of adults. Fat stores serve multiple roles: energy reserve during fasting, insulation against cold, and mechanical cushioning of organs. In addition, adipose tissue functions as an endocrine organ, releasing adipokines such as leptin, adiponectin, and resistin, which influence appetite, metabolism, and inflammation.

Distribution matters: Subcutaneous fat lies under the skin, while visceral fat surrounds abdominal organs. Visceral fat is more closely linked to metabolic risk, including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, than subcutaneous fat. Fat stores can expand through adipocyte hypertrophy or, in some cases, hyperplasia, and they adapt to changes in energy balance. Calorie restriction and physical activity reduce fat stores; exercise may preferentially reduce visceral fat.

Assessment of Fettlagrets quantity and distribution is done by body composition analysis, imaging techniques (MRI, CT), skinfold measurements, or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, with body mass index used as a rough guide.

See also: adipose tissue, metabolism, obesity.