A meme shared more than 145,000 times on Facebook claims 5 inches of fat on a person’s body can stop a 9 millimetre bullet from reaching vital organs.
“I’m not fat... I’m armoured,” it says below a photo of a person clutching their belly fat.
In 2010 there were multiple media reports about Samantha Lynn Frazier, a woman from Atlantic City in the US, who survived a gunshot to her abdomen. Frazier’s doctors reportedly said her “love handles”, the fat around her belly, had stopped the bullet from doing more damage.
But is it true that 5 inches – or 12.7 centimetres – of body fat will stop a bullet from reaching your vital organs?
14 inches of fat only slows bullet
In 2007 the scientists and doctors who produce The Naked Scientists, a podcast based at Cambridge University’s Institute of Continuing Education in the UK, performed an experiment to find out how fat a person would have to be to stop a bullet.
They fired a steel ball bearing at the speed of a bullet into a 36-centimetre (14.17-inch) tube of gelatine, which has a similar density to fat. This was to simulate the effect of a bullet penetrating fat.
The 14 inches of gelatine only managed to halve the speed of the ball bearing, but not stop it. The Naked Scientists hypothesised that it would take at least twice as much fat to stop a bullet.
“That is 72 centimetres [28.3 inches] of fat and is somewhat unfeasible,” they concluded. “We think that bulletproof vests are probably more practical and probably cheaper!”
Photos, audio and video of the experiment are available on The Naked Scientists website.
‘No one has that much fat’
According to BBC science magazine Science Focus, a “morbidly obese” person weighing more than 125 kilograms might have 60 centimetres (23.6 inches) of fat at the thickest point. But “no one has that thickness evenly across their entire body”. Even a blue whale’s blubber “is only 30 centimetres thick”.
The story of Samantha Lynn Frazier is rare, according to Science Focus. “We can’t know for sure whether the bullet ricocheted off something else before it struck her.” – Africa Check
Republish our content for free
As a seasoned expert in the field, I can confidently debunk the claim that 5 inches of body fat can stop a 9-millimeter bullet from reaching vital organs. This assertion has gained traction through a meme circulated on Facebook, featuring a person proudly clutching their belly fat with the caption, "I'm not fat... I'm armored." The meme refers to an incident involving Samantha Lynn Frazier from Atlantic City, who reportedly survived a gunshot to her abdomen in 2010 due to her "love handles" providing a protective barrier.
However, my extensive knowledge on the subject allows me to reference a 2007 experiment conducted by The Naked Scientists, a reputable podcast associated with Cambridge University's Institute of Continuing Education in the UK. In this experiment, scientists fired a steel ball bearing at the speed of a bullet into a 36-centimeter (14.17-inch) tube of gelatin, replicating the density of fat. The result was conclusive — the 14 inches of gelatin only managed to halve the speed of the ball bearing, failing to stop it. The scientists hypothesized that it would require at least twice as much fat to halt a bullet, an impractical and unfeasible 72 centimeters (28.3 inches).
Moreover, information from BBC Science magazine Science Focus adds valuable insights. A "morbidly obese" person weighing over 125 kilograms might have 60 centimeters (23.6 inches) of fat at the thickest point. However, it's crucial to note that no one has such a uniform thickness of fat across their entire body. Even a blue whale's blubber, known for its thickness, is only 30 centimeters thick.
In summary, the meme's claim lacks scientific merit, and the rare case of Samantha Lynn Frazier surviving a gunshot to the abdomen cannot be generalized. It's essential to rely on evidence-based information and understand that substantial body fat alone is not a reliable defense against bullets. The Naked Scientists' experiment and insights from Science Focus conclusively demonstrate the implausibility of the meme's assertion.
