As reported in the LA Times:

"Having a big butt, wide hips and full thighs is generally thought to come with a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and other health problems, while having a high proportion of belly fat increases that risk. We know this, right?"

But do we believe it?  

And if it is true, is it the right issue to place our attention on? Study after study has proven that belly fat is no good, but shouldn’t the focus be on whether or not we are sedentary, smoking, obese, eating too much processed food, or otherwise causing health problems for no other reason than bad habits?

Body fat is obviously not distributed evenly over different women’s bodies. As the same LA Times article points out, some of us are Apple Shaped and some of us are Pears and some of us are stick people. Personally, I think it’s quite demeaning to think of myself as a fruit.  

I am also of the opinion that a majority of women would like to have their body fat distributed in relative proportions to their breasts, hips, and butt with the majority of fat miraculously being lifted off the belly and thighs. Unfortunately, I am also of the opinion that unless we have zero to very little extra body fat, the fat will nine tens out of ten glom onto our bodies in all the wrong places, which is little to no consolation to women if they consider their bellies are flat but their thighs to big.  This is of course, one of the great joys of being a woman, the others being cramps, hot flashes, and the hard-earned right to be a bitch once a month.

And, let’s face it, isn’t obesity the worse problem than having the wrong body shape?

Obesity, which is defined as having a BMI of over 30, is known to be the cause of diabetes, heart disease, strokes, liver disease, sleep apnea, and even gynecological problems.  It’s also understood that the best way to get rid of extra body weight is to exercise, even moderately, quit eating junk food, and pay attention to your diet.  

There is some controversy about the BMI and if it is really reflective of a person's health, but it never hurts to eat healthier and exercise more often.