My Diabetes Information Blogs
Fat on the Abdomen vs. Fat in the Legs - Which one is More Dangerous for Diabetics?
12/20/06
Treatment Options, Prevention, General
Did you know that different "body types" store fat in different places? We tend to store our fat in one of two fashions. Some of us keep it in and on our stomachs, while others of us tend to keep it on our bottoms and thighs. We are all supposed to have a reasonable amount of fat stored on our bodies. It is part of being a healthy person. It is just important to know the risks of storing too much fat under your skin, depending on how your body type stores it.
Storing fat in the stomach region is often referred to as storing fat centrally. Some people call it the apple-shaped body type. Women with this body type have a much higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. As you would expect, diabetes further compounds those risks. The jury is still out about men.
Accumulating fat on the bottom and thighs is called visceral fat storage, and you may have heard it labeled the pear-type body shape. While having too much visceral fat storage can introduce risks and dangers, the health dangers for this body type are less than those of the apple-shaped body type.
You can compare the two body types by clicking on this link and examining the drawing of the two body types. Both women and men fall into these body type categories.