Dear Dr. Garner,
Bathing suit season is in full swing and we’re all more conscious about how we look when we head to the beach or pool.
All my life I have been a little heavy in the hip and behind area. I actually look a little like Jennifer Lopez. My husband tells me that I should lose weight, not because I don’t look good, but because it is not good for me.
I once read that the type of fat I have might be good for my health. Could you please let us know?
Fattish in Flushing
Dear Fattish in Flushing,
This is a somewhat unusual question. In general, I agree with your husband that it is best not to be overweight, no matter where the fat is located. Your comment about certain fat being good for you is not entirely wrong, but this should be taken with a grain of salt.
Scientists at Harvard have found that the type of fat that is around your waist and stomach is different from the fat found around the hips. Experiments in mice have shown that when their fat is transplanted from the hip areas to the belly region, they begin to lose weight and develop better overall health.
There is even improvement in sugar control and diabetes. The fat from this area is known as subcutaneous fat, which is a fancy way of saying fat that is just under the skin.
It appears that not all fat is created equal. The fat found around the belly and stomach area is very harmful and may be responsible for a person developing diabetes and heart disease.
Apple and Pear Shapes
There are two basic patterns of fat distribution in humans – a pear-shaped distribution and an apple-shaped distribution. Being shaped like an apple is the type of fat one has when he or she develops a beer belly. This distribution is more common in men, because the male hormone, testosterone causes fat to settle around the stomach.
On the other hand, the female hormone estrogen causes fat build up around the hips giving what we would refer to as a pear shape. Women before menopause are more likely to have fat about the hips as opposed to a beer belly. As they age, and become post-menopausal, the fat changes distribution and she may develop the apple shape and associated enlarged stomach and beer belly.
The exciting part about the finding of good fat around the hips is that scientists are now working to find out what about this fat is so beneficial to health. What chemicals and hormones does it contain that makes one healthier?
At least one theory proposed is that it makes insulin work better. This causes better control of diabetes, which is caused by faulty insulin, and also, cuts down on obesity.
It is too early in the investigation to advocate that people who are overweight not worry if their fat is distributed mostly around their hips, but there is a clear advantage to having fat in this distribution.
This is a wake-up call to those with beer bellies. Exercise causes the fat around the waist to be lost first, so a daily routine will reduce the bad fat and can provide overall health benefits.
The finding is also interesting for those who go for liposuction. In liposuction, the fat removed is from the areas under the skin (subcutaneous) in the hips and lower abdomen. This fat is the fat with the good properties. Removing it may eliminate the protective properties for the body.
To summarize, there are two types of fat distribution. The fat found under the skin, around the hips that creates a pear-shaped person, and fat found within a person’s stomach, which causes an apple shape and beer belly.
When good fat is transplanted into the stomachs of mice, their health improves, with improved insulin function, reduction of weight, improvement of diabetes and less heart disease.
It won’t be long before the exact ingredients that are contained within the good fat are found and perhaps made into pill form.
Until we get to the bottom of it, it is best not to be overweight. There are, however, variations in the degree that a person should be worried depending on where the fat is located.
Safe Food Prep
Just a reminder: During these summer months when we’re eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and spending time around the grill, be extra careful with food preparations to avoid salmonella poisoning.
It is critical that all raw fruit and vegetables are properly cleaned. Cheese should be properly refrigerated. Meat must be thoroughly cooked. Poultry products should be cooked thoroughly until they are no longer pink and the juices run clear. Hands should be washed thoroughly after using the toilet, before and after handling all food. Thaw frozen meat or poultry overnight in a regenerator.
The symptoms of salmonella poisoning are stomach pains, vomiting, diarrhea and fever. If you or someone you know has these symptoms for more than 12 hours, call your doctor. Do not take any antibiotics and it’s best not to take antidiarrhea medications, which can prolong the illness.
Dr. Steven Garner is a Fidelis Care provider who is affiliated with New York Methodist Hospital, Park Slope. He also hosts “Ask the Doctor” on The NET, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on Channel 97 Time Warner and Channel 30 Cablevision.
