Did you know that the way fat accumulates in our bodies can give us further information about our health? Depending on the fat distribution and the bone structure, the human body shape can fall under different categories (apple, pear, hourglass, triangle, or oval, to mention the most common ones related to both men and women). These can be even more noticeable if you have some extra pounds; for example, if fat gathers around the abdomen and the waistline, you are probably apple-shaped, while those with weight around the hips, rear, and thighs are considered to be pear-shaped.
And what’s the matter with this? To what extent can such a difference have an impact on your health? So far, this was nothing to worry about, but this perception may now change…
A new medical study from the Intermountain Medical Centre Heart Institute in Salt Lake City (Utah) and John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore (Maryland) shows evidence that people with apple-shaped bodies are at a higher risk for heart disease and other metabolic syndromes such as high blood pressure and cholesterol. Researchers evaluated 200 diabetic patients, men and women with obesity that were likely to develop heart disease but had not yet shown any coronary problems to reach those conclusions. They checked where their fatwas located and how that factor could influence developing heart conditions. And the outcome turned out to be such a revelation as they found out that patients with apple body shape were more prone to suffer from left ventricular dysfunction, which in turn can prompt heart failure.
Obesity has undoubtedly been linked to heart conditions for a long time. Still, experts focused on the Body Mass Index (BMI), a measure of body fat derived from the weight and the height of an individual, to determine any risks associated with heart health. “We specifically found that waist circumference appears to be a stronger predictor for left ventricle dysfunction than total body weight,” stated Boaz D. Rosen, MD of John Hopkins and the study’s principal researcher.
That said, the leading investigator behind such findings admits that further studies are required to verify this connection between patients with prominent abdominal obesity and heart failure. The study results were reported at the 2016 American College Cardiology Scientific Session that took place in Chicago on April 2.
Be healthy!
Although carrying extra weight around your hips seems to be less pernicious than having a larger waist, pear-shaped people are still at risk for many health complications, especially if they happen to be very overweight. Thus, don’t use it as an ‘excuse’ not to break bad habits! Mind aspects such as what you eat and how often, how much you exercise regularly, and the amount of sleep you get.
Everything counts when it comes to preventing further health problems, don’t you agree?
