Women's body shapes generally fall into two categories, those who are pear shaped and those who have an apple shaped physique. What's the difference? Pear shaped individuals carry their weight around the hips and thighs and are generally smaller on top with narrow shoulders, waist and bust.
Apple shapes are the opposite, being top heavy. Their weight is on top with muscular shoulders, a large bust and thick waist. They usually have narrower hips and thighs, with a flatter bottom. However it is the thick waist that has been linked to various health problems.
Pear shaped women are less likely to suffer from heart disease and high blood pressure than their apple shaped counterparts, who store fat around the abdomen. This is due to the fat stored around the middle releasing fatty acids into the blood stream much easier, than fat accumulated elsewhere in the body. It has also been suggested that fat stored around the hips can have an anti-inflammatory effect and therefore diminish the threat of heart disease.
