eli5 – Why do some obese men get rock hard giant bellies, but you rarely if ever see rock hard bellies on obese women?

Question

Every obese woman that I have ever known has maintained a soft squishy belly, while men seem to get these rock hard beach balls attached to them. What is the difference in male and female bodies that makes this happen?

In: 2315

Answer 1

Women tend to get subcutaneous fat – on top of the muscle just under the skin. This makes our fat seem soft and squishy.

When men put on fat it tends to be visceral fat. Visceral fat forms under the muscle and around the organs. So the muscle over top is still “hard” to the touch even with an equivalent amount of fat underneath.