2007/06/05

Types of Obesity


Apple and Pear are terms to describe the shape of a person's body with regard to where they store fat. Pears tend to store fat below their waists, usually on their hips and thighs. Apples store fat above their waists, around the mid-section.

Apple Type: The shoulders, face, arms, neck, chest and upper portion of the abdomen (stomach) are bloated. The stomach gives a stiff appearance. So also the arms, shoulders and breast. The back seems to be straight but the neck is compressed and there will be protruding chest because of the bulk in the stomach. The lower portion of the body the hips, thighs and legs are thinner beyond proportion in comparison with the upper part. In these persons the vital organs affected will be mostly the heart, liver, kidneys and lungs. Though this typed of obesity is found more in males it is common in females too. Those females, who are under hormone treatment for their menstrual abnormalities or after childbirth, have the risk to become this type of obesity. It occurs in females around menopause too due to thyroid gland's functional disturbance. In this type, the excess flesh is less likely to reduce especially in female than males.This type of obesity is a major risk for heart damage and heart disease due to high cholesterol.

Pear Type: In this type the lower part of the body has the extra flesh. This type of obesity is also common to both sexes though females are more affected. The flesh is somewhat flabby in the abdomen, thighs, buttocks and legs. The face and neck mostly give a normal appearance. In some persons, the cheeks may be drawn too. As these persons grow old the whole figure assumes a stooping posture and the spine is never erect due to the heavy hips and thighs. This vital organs affected mostly are the kidneys, uterus, intestines, bladder and bowls. But the functions of these organs some times have a direct effect on the heart. In this type of obesity, exercises or dieting will not help appreciably in reducing weight. Herbal medicine is the only hope. One should have more patience and undertake proper treatment to achieve the coal of reducing weight and preventing further weight again.

The third type: Besides apple and pear type, there is one more type of obesity. Some persons neither belong to apple or to pear category. Their whole body from head to toe looks like a barrel. Their gait is more to rolling rather than walking. The fat tissues in their body hinder the movement of all the internal organs and consequently affect their brisk functioning. For them any exercise is difficult due to the enormous size of the body. So such person should follow a strict in diet and do plenty of exercise. But herbal medicines and treatment will help successfully in reducing weight.


Weight gain in the area of and above the waist (apple type) is more dangerous than weight gained around the hips and flank area (pear type). Fat cells in the upper body have different qualities than those found in hips and thighs.

"Body Shape: Pears vs. Apples." Total Health. IVILLAGE .
http://diet.ivillage.com/measure/mshape/0,,51,00.html>4 Jun 2007 .