Why a pear-shaped body can reduce your risk of heart disease
Carrying fat on your thighs instead of your stomach can help protect you from heart disease.
Research by the European Heart Journal (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-48788416) found that women, who were a healthy weight, were more at risk of heart disease if they had more fat around their belly than their thighs. This is compared to women who carry more fat around their hips and thighs than their bellies.
It’s not yet understood why thigh fat doesn’t cause problems around the body in the same way that stomach fat does but it is thought that your body shape has an impact on your health.
Fat is an issue
We all carry fat in our bodies. Sometimes this fat is stored just under our skin where we can see and grab it. Although fat can also be stored around our organs. This unseen visceral fat has a higher risk of long-term disease including heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
Visceral fat can affect women who are of a healthy weight and look slim.
When we look at our bodies as a whole, rather than just a number on the scales, we can understand more about our health. It is not just about where our fat is stored but also the strength of our muscles and bones which help protect our long-term health.
This is especially important as we age. We may find that we struggle to lose weight as quickly or that we are not as strong as we once were. Not only can it be harder to maintain our body weight, but we have a lifetime of eating habits that might also need to change.
Body Mass
Since we can’t know from just looking at our body shape where our fat is stored, we can use Body Composition Analysis to understand the best way to control the shape and size of our bodies.
This new technology allows us to see inside our bodies and really understand what is happening. It can show you where the fat is being stored around your body. In turn, this means you can have a tailored approach to your diet and an exercise plan that really works.
If you know where your body is storing fat then you can develop a plan which will improve your metabolism and work on changing the shape of your body.
These state of the art scans can also help you see real, measurable changes as you progress.
Bones and muscles
Body Composition Analysis isn’t just about where you store your fat. It also identifies areas where you can improve muscle strength and take a look at your bone density. This is especially useful if you are at risk of osteoporosis.
By looking at your body in this way, specific areas for concern can be identified and a plan devised.
If you are concerned that you are more apple than pear-shaped and would like to really reach those body goals, then find out how the Body Composition Analysis service can help you achieve them.