Where is Healthier: Fat above or below?

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The fat layer is spread under the surface of the skin throughout the body, and sometimes we can clearly see which body parts have the most fat. In general, the most visible part of the body is fat accumulation and the area around the thigh. Both are body parts that determine a person's body shape. A buildup that focuses on the upper part of the chest and abdomen will make our bodies look like apples, while the buildup of fat around the lower abdomen, thighs and buttocks will cause our bodies to look like pears.

Is my body shape apple or pear?

The fundamental difference between the two body shapes of apples and pears is which parts have the most fat distribution, and how much fat is stored. To measure it, we need to use a waist and hip circumference ratio. The method is quite simple by measuring the waist circumference (between the ribs and navel) and the pelvic circumference (around the lumbar spine), then comparing. The value of the ratio will determine the body shape you have.

If the value of the waist circumference is greater than the value of the pelvic circumference, then you tend to have an apple body shape. Conversely, if the waist circumference value is smaller than the pelvic circumference value, then you tend to have a pear shape. Apple body shape tends to have a waist and pelvis circumference ratio that is larger than the pear shape. That means the buildup of fat in the body shape of the apple will be more in the waist or around the abdomen, closely related to central obesity.

Why do women tend to be pear-shaped, men tend to have apple stature?

The body has a way to determine the distribution of fat respectively, and the one that affects it is hormonal factors. The simplest example of hormonal differences is in male and female individuals. The hormonal difference between the two causes women to tend to have pear bodies and men tend to have apple-shaped bodies.

The more hormone testosterone in men allows the body to store less fat on the surface of the body. In addition, men do not have estrogen so they have a smaller pelvic area. This is what causes fat in men tend to be stored around the surface of the stomach so that men tend to have a larger waist circumference.

The hormone estrogen will help women have a larger pelvis for the needs of pregnancy and childbirth. This hormone also plays a role so that more body fat in women is stored around the pelvis. However, the pear body shape in women can change over time. When experiencing menopause, a woman's body will experience a lack of estrogen, so that more fat will be stored around the waist and cause more fat buildup in the upper body, making the female body experiencing menopause usually become apple shaped.

Health effects based on body shape

The pear shape is considered to have a healthier waist and pelvis ratio because this body shape shows a smaller waist circumference and less fat buildup. In general, the normal waist and hip circumference ratio is below 0.95 for men and below 0.86 for women. The smaller the ratio value, the better for health.

Central obesity in apple body shape was assessed as a predictor of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease which is more accurate than obesity based on body mass index. This is because the accumulation of abdominal fat and around the waist has a more significant adverse effect on health, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. In addition, the accumulation of fat around the abdomen is more likely caused by unhealthy lifestyles such as alcohol consumption and lack of physical activity.

Is the body shape of a pear better than an apple?

Both the apple and pear-shaped bodies are basically caused by fat buildup. Especially for women, the pear body shape is more ideal because it shows the body has stored food reserves needed to meet nutritional needs before pregnancy and during pregnancy. However, along with changes in the body after childbirth and menopause, it is better to control the accumulation of fat around the pelvis early, because excess fat from around the pelvis will cause accumulation of fat around the abdomen in menopausal women.

Not that the pear body will also be free from various diseases, because most degenerative diseases have various risk factors, and accumulation of abdominal fat is only one of several causes a person experiences degenerative diseases. One of research (as reported by NHS) shows that someone who has a normal waist circumference will remain at risk for various cardiovascular diseases if he has risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and high blood cholesterol levels.

Body shape changes can occur at any time, if you have a body shape with a normal waist circumference but have experienced high blood pressure and smoking at a young age, then you will still be at risk of various cardiovascular diseases.

Keep in mind that the body has its own way of distributing fat. The distribution of fat around the abdomen and waist tends to be relative and can change with age. Whatever body shape you have right now, maintaining body weight and body fat accumulation by applying a healthy lifestyle is still needed to prevent various degenerative diseases.

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