Chapter 35.1, Problem 1HYEW

You have probably seen articles warning of the danger of being apple-shaped. It’s true that where you store your body fat is at least as important as how much fat you are carrying. “Apples” are said to store visceral belly fat, which is far less healthy than storing fat just beneath the skin as “pears” do in their hips and buttocks. What’s the difference? Visceral fat surrounds organs inside the abdominal cavity and releases a variety of cell-signaling proteins that normally balance one another to promote a healthy metabolism. But in obese individuals, too much visceral fat leads to changes in its cellular makeup, causing imbalances in its secretions. This imbalance causes metabolic changes that lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disorders, type 2 diabetes, and several types of cancer. The tendency to store visceral fat is influenced by genes and also increases with age. A round, firm, “pot belly” is a tell-tale sign of visceral fat, but this can be hidden by rolls of subcutaneous (“beneath the skin”) fat—the squishy kind you can grab by the handful. Subcutaneous fat is less metabolically active and has a far lower health risk.

  Back to apples and pears: The ratio of waist to hip circumference is often used as an indicator of visceral fat storage. An apple has a ratio greater than 0.85 for females and 0.90 for males; the pear’s ratio is lower. But if you have small hips and lots of subcutaneous fat around your waist, your ratio could classify you as an unhealthy apple. Or you might have lots of visceral fat but be classified as a healthier pear if you happen to have large hips. So forget the fruit. In general, a large waist (>35 inches for females, >40 inches for males) is a pretty reliable indicator of visceral fat and its associated health risks. Fortunately, when you lose weight, particularly through aerobic exercise, visceral fat tends to be the first to go.

Are Pears Healthier Than Apples?