Oxford research has revealed that fat around your bum and thighs is not only healthier than round your waist, but actually protects against heart disease and diabetes.
A recent study shows that pear-shaped people have a health advantage over apple-shaped people.
Fatty acids stored in the abdomen are more likely to be released and float around the body, causing harm to other organs. However, fat in the thighs and bum is used for long-term storage of such fatty acids, and may even secrete more beneficial hormones than other fat.
However, Dr Manolopoulos, one of the researchers, emphasised that fattening your thighs would not help, as this will usually lead to a bigger waist too and offset any positive health effects. “Control of body weight is still the best way to stay healthy, and the advice remains the same: it is important to eat less and exercise more.”
