I’m an expert – here’s what your wobbly bits say about your health
MANY people have parts of their bodies that they don’t like.
While the body confidence movement has grown in recent years, it doesn’t mean there aren’t wobbly bits that we would rather not have.
The body creates fat when we take in more calories than we can burn off in the day through our lifestyles and exercise.
That’s why if you’re trying to lose weight, medics say you should be in a calorie deficit.
Fats in our body are made up by three molecules joined together which is known as a triglyceride.
But experts have now warned that where you store fat could actually be harmful to your health.
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Speaking to The Telegraph, Dr Sarah Berry, an associate professor in nutritional sciences at King’s College London said some types of fat can increase your risk of serious conditions.
“Visceral fat is ‘metabolically active’, which means it upregulates – or increases – production of chemicals that affect chronic diseases such as inflammation and Type 2 diabetes.
“In contrast, fat on the thighs and hips is less metabolically active and so more benign,” she said.
Hips and thighs
Having fat around your hips – ie those who are a pear shape, are in luck.
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Experts say that this is the healthies place to store fat – as long as it’s not buried deep in your muscles.
Florida Hospital Sanford-Burnham Translational Research Institute for Metabolism and Diabetes medics looked at the type of fat you carry in your hips.
Dr Steven Smith, lead researcher said having fat here can reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes.
He added that women who have heart attacks, on average have more belly fat than thigh fat.
Breast aware
Most people will associate big breasts as a positive.
While it might make your bras more expensive and running close to nearly impossible – surely it’s worth it for the cleavage?
But experts have previously found that having a bigger cup size can increase your risk of illness.
In 2008, medics found that women in their 20s with larger breasts were at an increased risk of being diagnosed with diabetes in the following 10 years.
In 2012 a team of scientists found that big boobs in themselves were not a risk but could mean you’re at a greater risk of visceral fat.
Scientists believe women with a larger bust may be more likely to develop breast cancer, regardless of age, pregnancy and breastfeeding history and genetic ancestry.
The study, published in BMV Medical Genetics uncovered that some genetic variants behind breast growth, such as BMI, were also influential in the risk of cancer.
You can help yourself by keeping a healthy weight, cutting your alcohol consumption and checking your breasts for lumps, as well as dimpling of the skin of your breasts and changes to the nipples, such as a rash, discharge or a difference in size and shape.
Speak to your GP if you’re worried.
How to get rid of fat
If you want to lose excess fat - then there are things you can do.
Experts say that it takes more than just hitting the gym.
Here are their tops tips:
- Banish the booze – alcohol often has added sugars
- Cut refined carbs and processed sugars – processed sugars are found in lots of sweet treats and the main culprits are caramel, cane sugar or juice or rice syrup.
- Focus on gut health – gut health is related to a whole host of things such as how we store fat, our glucose levels and how we process food.
- Stress less – people process stress in different ways, but for some being stressed can lead to over eating which ultimately leads to weight gain.
- Check your calories – weight loss comes down to being in a calorie deficit In other words burning off more calories that you consume.
Tummy fat
Visceral fat is probably one of the most dangerous types of fat you can carry.
It ups your risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer.
It can also increase your risk of conditions such as depression, dementia and diabetes.
For the most part, people with more tummy fat will have an apple shaped body.
This is when people have bigger waists relative to their hips, creating a slight apple shape.
Women who have this body type are at greater risk of having a heart attack than men.
Researchers from Oxford University found having bigger waists, and higher waist-to-hip and waist-to-height ratios left women 10-20 per cent more at risk of a heart attack.
Jacqui Fenner, a body form expert working with Deleo, added: “Apple-shaped people are often overweight in the centre and above the waist.
“While it may be easier to lose weight in the upper body than in the hips or thighs, excess fat around the waist or belly can be dangerous to your health.”
She recommends keeping trim and healthy by keeping an eye on the amount of carbs you are eating and eating higher protein meals.
Swimming, cycling and running are also excellent workouts that will keep your heart healthy.
Neck fat
Many people wouldn’t think twice about their neck, but researchers have previously found that he bigger the neck – the more likely you are to have bad cholesterol.
A recent study found neck circumference is associations with a greater heart risk, The Telegraph reported.
A high neck circumference for women would be classed as 14inches or higher and for men this is 17 inches or higher.
Neck fat is risky as medics say it can be a good marker for upper body fat.
This can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and can also put pressure on your airways -making you more prone to issues such as sleep apnoea.
Experts previously said that your hormones could also have an impact on your wobbly bits.
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Having flabby arms Khatra Paterson, Director of KP Aesthetics working with Cristal Pro, said could be down to testosterone levels – while a pot belly could be caused by cortisol, she said.
Jacqui Fenner, a body shaping expert working with Cristal said a big bum can be caused by too much oestrogen and a muffin top can be caused by insulin.