		Weight problems - are you the apple or pear type?

The dangers associated with obesity vary. If you are overweight, the position of those extra pounds is important. It is more dangerous if they are located around the waist and chest, than, for example, on the thighs or the behind. The higher the adipose tissue is located, the bigger the risk of suffering heart failure and diabetes.

You can compare the two types of obesity with an apple and a pear: If you hold them by the stalk, the pear is thickest at the bottom, while the apple is thickest in the middle. If you’re an ‘apple’, that is to say, you’re heaviest in the middle, you should definitely do something about your weight problem. If you’re a ‘pear’, the situation is not as critical. However, remember that if you weigh too much, it will generally improve your state of health and your prospects for the future if you lose some weight.

Type in your waist and hip measurements to see if you are an apple or a pear:

What should my score be?

For women the apple/pear score shouldn’t exceed 0.80.
For men the score shouldn’t exceed 1.00.

What are the consequences if my score is too high?

If your score exceeds the values given, you should do something about your fat deposits in order to relieve pressure on your inner organs and avoid a number of diseases related to being overweight.

After reaching adulthood it is quite normal to gain weight over the years. About two to four pounds a decade is the norm. Whether these are dangerous pounds is determined by their location.

If you get a band of flesh around your waist or a huge potbelly, you quite clearly belong to the apple type, and carry your extra weight around your vital organs. This increases the chances of suffering cardiac trouble, or developing diabetes and cancer. With the adipose tissue located high up in your body, there is an increased possibility that the fat cells will find their way into the bloodstream and cause embolisms - the consequence can be a shorter life!

However, if the adipose tissue is formed around the thighs and the behind, it is much less of a hazard. The fat cells do not find their way into the bloodstream as easily, and are far away from your vital organs.