What happens to fat cells after dieting?

After dieting, fat cells decrease in size, but they do not disappear or dissolve completely. The number of fat cells in the body typically remains stable after adulthood; what changes is the amount of fat stored in these cells. When someone diets and loses weight, the fat stored within each fat cell is reduced, leading to a decrease in cell size. However, the cells themselves remain present.

Understanding that fat cells can shrink but not vanish is important because it means that maintaining weight loss often requires ongoing dietary and lifestyle management. Additionally, when weight is regained after dieting, the fat cells can easily enlarge again, which is why sustainable weight maintenance is challenging.