Body Weight or Body Shape?

by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

When it comes to the risks of heart disease, a popular focus is your body shape – are you an “apple” (belly/abdominal fat) or a “pear” (hips/buttocks fat)? Typically, an apple shape has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease, compared to a pear. But a new study challenges this concept – and in a large review of more than 220,000 people and cardiovascular disease, body shape was not a predictor of risk.

What does this mean for you? Simply put, whatever your shape, it might not matter for heart disease risk. But being overweight or obese are the modifiable factors that impact most. Importantly, it you have lower-body obesity (pear-shaped), that’s not a “better” kind of excess weight; I’ve talked with dozens of patients who rationalize their own weight issues by saying “at least it’s not belly fat”. If you’ve got excess pounds, you’re at risk.

It IS tough to lose weight and keep it off – but worth the effort. Start with small steps, and get some support to stay on track. Good health is definitely its own reward!

Are you an apple or a pear? And how do you address your own weight issues?