Body Shape and Weight

Written By Admin
Dated: February 21, 2007

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It seems like the world is obsessed with weight. At one end of the weight distribution spectrum the obsession is about being too heavy, fat, or obese. At the other end of the spectrum, the obsession is about being too thin. You only need to pick up a popular women’s magazine and see how much of the content is devoted to losing weight. Do an internet search and see how many websites are related to weight loss, exercise, fitness, diets, diet pills, and diet supplements.

Statistics show that over half of women and about two thirds of men in the UK are either overweight or obese. This has become the major health issue for the new millennia. Since this phenomenon has occurred two classifications of body shapes have been established in an effort to understand how people store fat differently. One is called the ‘pear’ shaped body and the other is called the ‘apple’ shape body.

The ‘pear’ shape is more common in women and it refers to storing fat below the waistline and on the hips, thighs, and buttocks. A body would be classified as ‘pear’ shaped if, when measured, there was a hip-waist ratio of 0.8 or less. What this means is that when you divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement you get a result of 0.8 or lower.

People, who have what is called an ‘apple’ body shape, store fat in their abdomen and have a wide torso or mid section. Men are most commonly seen to have ‘apple’ shaped bodies and it is jokingly referred to as having a beer gut, or love handles. When you divide the waist by the hips and get a number higher than 0.8, then you have an ‘apple’ shaped body.

So what does it mean to have a ‘pear’ shaped or ‘apple’ shaped body? Research has shown that people who have an ‘apple’ shaped body are more likely to suffer hearts attacks, to develop hardening of the arteries, to have high blood pressure, and diabetes. Conversely, people who have a ‘pear’ shaped body seem to be at less risk for acquiring these diseases.

People who have diabetes, high cholesterol, abdominal obesity, and high blood pressure, are at the most dangerous risk level for having a heart attack. When you have all of these diseases at the same time, you are said to have a metabolic syndrome and you have two times the probability that you will die from cardiovascular disease - heart attack - or a stroke.

Besides body shape being an indicator of health risk, there is a measurement called the Body Mass Index (BMI) that looks at the proportions of the body to see if health risks can be predicted. The BMI in fat people is larger than it is thin people. Ideally, your waist should be smaller than your hips. The BMI guidelines are that a BMI measurement of 18.5 below means you are underweight, 19.0 - 24.9 is a healthy weight, 25 - 29.9 is overweight and over 30 is obese. (To calculate your own BMI please use the BMI calculator above). A high BMI is indicative of an increased risk for type 2 diabetes.

Knowing all of this is important, but what can someone do who has an ‘apple’ body shape or has a high BMI? The answer to this is that there are many treatments available but the best intervention is prevention. If you are bordering on being overweight, stop what you are doing, and start eating healthily and take more exercise. It is easier to keep off the pounds than to have to take them off.

The first thing you need to do, if you have discovered that you fall into the ‘apple’ shaped body category or have a high BMI is to go and see your doctor for a full medical examination. Your doctor is your best resource for knowing how much damage may been done to your cardiovascular system.

The next recommendation is to accept the fact that, if you are going to live a long, healthy life, you have to have a healthy diet and lifestyle. You must lose any excess body fat and commit yourself to changing your diet and lifestyle for the better.