Those who dream ofrefine their lower body can now review their priorities. And for good reason: a new study German published in the journal Cell Metabolism proves that having a little fat on the thighs and hips when you have a Body Mass Index (BMI) normal lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
A pear-shaped body rather than an apple-shaped one
To find out, researchers at Tubigen University Hospital and the German Diabetes Center performed tests on 981 volunteers with a normal BMI to determine their Fat Mass Index (BMI), their level of fat in the liver , the way the fat was distributed in their body or their sensitivity toinsulin. They found that people with a normal BMI but some fat on their hips and thighs were less likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those who stored fat elsewhere in their body.
A phenomenon which is explained, according to the researchers, by the fact that the fat located at the bottom of the body has a protective effect on the heart. “People of normal weight are better off pear-shaped than apple-shaped so that fat is stored on the lower part of the body rather than in the middle. The hips and thighs provide a safe storage for fat, preventing it from entering the blood and reaching the organs”, precise Dr. Norbert Stefan, co-author of the study.
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