In addition to the percentage of body fat you have, some experts emphasize the importance of where this fat is distributed and stored in the body. Studies have shown that when fat is stored around the abdomen, you are more likely to develop hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes than if the majority of your fat is stored in the lower part of your body.You may have heard of this in terms of apple- or pear-shaped people. In this analogy, pear-shaped people, who store fat in the lower half of their bodies, have less risk of developing serious health complications from obesity than apple-shaped people, who store excess fat around their waists.
One of the ways to determine your risk based on abdominal fat is to consider your waist circumference. Men who have a waist circumference greater than 40 inches and women who have a waist circumference greater than 35 inches are at increased risk for heart disease and other obesity-related problems.
