IT’S BETTER TO BE PEAR-SHAPED

A PEAR-SHAPED body means you tend to store fat on your hips, thighs and bottom and studies show this doesn’t raise your risk of diabetes and heart disease — and may even protect against these conditions.

‘That’s because the type of cells that store fat in the thighs and bottom seem to hold on to fat better and stop the fat from travelling back into the blood where it can damage organs and lead to illnesses,’ says Fredrik Karpe, a professor of metabolic medicine.

‘This so-called “gluteofemoral lower body” offers a safer storage of fat.’

One theory is that this type of fat releases beneficial hormones such as leptin and adiponectin, which could protect against these conditions. By contrast, an apple-shaped body type — where fat is stored around the waist and abdomen — raises the risk of complications by obesity. This type of fat storage — called visceral fat — responds to body processes, such as the release of adrenaline and other hormones in stress, in turn easily releasing the fat back into the blood, explains Professor Karpe. ‘This means the fat gets into vital organs, such as the liver or pancreas, causing inflammation, which leads to serious damage.’