People with an apple, in which fatty deposits are concentrated mainly in the abdomen area, have long been considered more at risk for diseases such as diabetes and heart disease than pear-shaped holders with fatty deposits around their buttocks and thighs.
But a new study conducted at the University of Chicago Medical Center in Davis provided further evidence that these advantages of the pear-shaped body are more a myth than reality. Researchers have found that fat accumulated in the buttock area, also known as the gluteal fatty tissue, produces abnormal levels of chemerin and omentin-1 proteins, which can cause inflammation and a condition preceding diabetes, known as insulin resistance, in people with early symptoms of metabolic syndrome
More specifically, in patients with early symptoms of metabolic syndrome, gluteal adipose tissue secretes an elevated level of chemerin protein and a low level of omentin-1 protein, which, together with other factors, increases the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. High levels of chemerin protein, for example, are associated with high blood pressure, elevated levels of C-reactive protein (a sign of inflammation) and triglycerides, insulin resistance, and low levels of good HDL cholesterol. Low levels of omentin-1 protein are associated with low HDL cholesterol and high levels of triglycerides and glucose in the blood.
The good news is that with weight loss, the level of chemerin protein also decreases, as does the risk of developing metabolic syndrome.
