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What does my body shape say about my health?
The overall shape of a person’s body is often used by fashion stylists to recommend styles of clothes. Frilly tops are not recommended for top-heavy women while it’s advised not to wear flared skirts for bottom heavy women. But recent research seems to indicate that a person’s body shape is not just aesthetic and might be an indicator of health risks.
Your Unique Body Shape
How is your body shape determined? Very simplified, these changes start as you reach puberty. Aside from skeletal differences, estrogen in a female causes enlarged breasts through the development of mammary glands and fat to be stored in the buttocks, thighs and hips. For males, testosterone enhances muscle-building through exercise. Men have approximately 20 times more testosterone compared to women which explains why men can builds muscles more easily.
Aside from biological differences, your body shape is also determined by a combination of how overweight or underweight you are, and finally your posture.
Determining your body shape
While the Body Mass Index is the most common measurement of obesity, recent research findings seem to indicate that a person’s health risk to heart attacks and other obesity related diseases is more accurately determined by a person’s body shape. This is because the body shape indicates the fat distribution within the body.
You can use the Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) to determine your body shape:
WHR = Waist Measurements / Hip Measurements.
Your Shape as an indicator of health risks
Using your WHR measurements above, you can determine your body type and the health risks associated with it below:
Apple – WHR above 0.8
You’re an apple, the stomach region is wider in comparison to the hip section.
Most of the apple’s fat is distributed around the internal organs around the chest and abdomen, which can lead to an increased risk to heart disease, diabetes and strokes. Fat around these organs also tends to cause extra long-term stress to the organs. The higher your WHR, the higher the risk.
Pear – WHR below 0.8
You’re a pear. Your hip section will like be wider than the upper body with most of your fats deposited around your thighs, hips and butt area. This body shape doesn’t put you in any significant health risk right now.
Time and Age Can Change Things
Even if you’re a pear, as you age, lose or gain weight, the fat distribution in your body can shift due to hormonal and metabolic changes in your body. This combined with your lifestyle can cause changes in your body that may create health risks not present before.
If you’re an apple now you can take steps to decrease health risks and make yourself more healthy. Exercise more frequently and eating healthy food will help create a healthy life.
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