Why We Eat (Too Much): The New Science of Appetite

by Andrew Jenkinson

Each fat cell has the unique ability to store energy for times when it may be needed. The more energy it stores, the more bloated it becomes and the more the fat cell expands in size. In the initial process of becoming fatter, you do not grow more fat cells. The number of cells stays the same, but each one becomes swollen with its stored energy, growing to six times its original volume. When there is no more room within the cells, the number of fat cells in the body increases – from an average of 40 billion to over 100 billion in some cases. Unfortunately, if you suck the fat cells out with liposuction (a common, short-term fix performed by plastic surgeons), more and more fat cells are produced to compensate.