What do skinny people understand that most people don’t?

Not much.

People who are constitutionally skinny don’t seem to think much about weight management, with the possible exception of how to gain weight – I have been asked to answer several questions along these lines.

There is such a thing as being “skinny fat” or having “normal weight obesity”. This consists of a normal or slender appearance coupled with higher than normal body fat, or higher than normal intra-abdominal fat.

People who are underweight have health risks, especially as they age. They have greater difficulty recovering from infections, for example. See: Underweight Health Risks: What You Should Know

People who diet themselves into skinniness have health risks that are similar to those who are constitutionally thin and may be at greater risk for nutritional deficiencies due to ongoing or long term food restriction.

The goal of weight management should be to achieve good health, not a specific appearance.

This article originally appeared as a post on Quora.