Apple Shaped versus Pear Shaped: Does Your Body Shape Affect Your Heart?

The human body can be broken down into two basis types of shapes for both men and women. These have come to be compared to fruits- there are apple-shaped people and pear-shaped people. What this refers to is the different ways that fat distributes itself on an individual's frame. For example people who are apple-shaped have a tendency to develop body fat in their midsections, which is predominantly the abdominal area and the waist whereas pear-shaped people develop fat lower on their bodies which includes their buttocks, hips and thigh areas.

Genetics plays a role in which body shape a person will develop but so do other factors such as age and gender. To use an example, plenty of females put on fat in their buttocks and hips which gives them a pear- shaped figure whereas men more often put on weight in the stomach which makes them apple-shaped. After a woman has gone through menopause her body has less of the hormone estrogen and therefore it is common for her to put fat on around her middle, which would cause her to become more apple-shaped in form.

Researchers have long wondered if there is a difference in apple-shaped versus pear-shaped when it comes to a risk of heart problems. More and more studies are ongoing but it has been discovered that those with apple-shapes due to the fat accumulated around their middle section are more likely to become obese than pear-shaped people who put on weight lower on their bodies. Heart disease, diabetes and breast cancer are also more common in apple-shaped individuals whereas pear-shaped females are more likely to develop varicose veins, cellulite, osteoporosis and a variety of eating disorders. Apple-shaped women are also more includes towards depression and anxiety disorders, irregularities in their menstrual cycles and problems conceiving. Pear-shaped women tend to have lower levels of self-esteem and view their bodies in a more negative manner than do apple-shaped women. Menopause tends to affect pear-shaped women worse than their apple counterparts.

To determine your waist-to-hip ratio and decide if you are an apple or a pear in shape, simply take your waist measurement and divide it by your hip measurement. Women who have waist-to-hip ratios of 0.8 or higher are apple-shaped and those lower are pear-shaped. Men who have ratios that are 1.0 or higher are apple-shaped and those below are pear-shaped. Apple-shaped males run the higher risk of developing heart problems due to the area of the body where fat is stored.

The fat stored in the abdomen and waist area of an apple-shaped woman is known as visceral fat or intra-abdominal fat (IAF) and this fat is stored deep in the body and it surrounds many organs. Fat in this area contributes to such problems as an increase in the level of blood sugar as well as inflammation. Pear-shaped women on the other hand have what is known as subcutaneous fat which is more passive fat and this fat is immediately stored as energy that is released only in the case of childbearing or breastfeeding. Be aware that no one can alter their body shape but they can strive to be as healthy as possible. In other words, an apple-shape cannot become a pear-shape and vice versa.

About the Author:
Mike Serovey is the owner and webmaster for http://www.mikeserovey.net where you can submit your articles for free.