While many people will be aware that – generally speaking – fat anywhere is bad, it would seem it’s not all dire news.
In fact, depending on where you store your weight, it could actually be good for you.
According to the Chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Obesity Management network, Dr Georgia Rigas, ‘fat storage is like real estate’.
‘It’s all about location, location, location,’ she told Body & Soul.
According to the Chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Obesity Management network, Dr Georgia Rigas, ‘fat storage is like real estate’ – it’s better on your bum
According to Dr Rigas, carrying fat around your hips or bottom is ‘not hazardous’ – this is because such fat isn’t encasing vital organs, including your heart, lungs and liver (stock image)
So just where is expensive – or unhealthy – to store weight, and where is bang for your buck?
According to Dr Rigas, carrying fat around your hips or bottom is ‘not hazardous’.
The reason why is that such fat isn’t encasing your vital organs, including your heart, lungs and liver.
It is unhealthy to carry fat depositions around your abs – instead you should be looking to avoid this as this fat has been associated with health issues
On the other hand, fat deposition around the abs is hugely negative for this very reason.
‘This fat [has been associated with health issues including] increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, many cancers, fatty liver, infertility (PCOS) and many others,’ Dr Rigas said.
This information tallies with a recent study which found that women with bigger hips and bottoms have a lower risk of heart attack, stroke and type 2 diabetes than those who store fat around their tummy or midsections.
A recent study found that it is better to be pear-shaped than apple-shaped – meaning the majority of weight is carried on the bottom half of the body, rather than the middle
The study’s lead author, Dr Norbert Stefan, from the University of Tübingen, said: ‘It is better for people of normal weight to be pear-shaped rather than apple-shaped, so that weight is carried on the bottom half of their body rather than around the middle.
‘The hips and thighs offer ‘safe storage’ for fat, stopping it from getting into the blood and reaching the organs.’
The study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, also found that putting on hip and leg fat could even be beneficial for some thin people with diabetes or heart problems.
Maybe your pear-shaped body isn’t so bad after all…