By Shana Adams (@bbgtonline)
A 2010 study by scientists from the University of Oxford and Churchill Hospital in the United Kingdom revealed that “women with larger than average butts are not only increasingly intelligent, but also resistant to chronic illnesses” Wow, who knew?
When I read this study myself, I was immediately suspicious. What are the good folks at Oxford really saying? As I went more in depth, it was apparent that where the fat is in your body makes the difference. In essence, not all fat is created equal. Three things I took away from the study were:
"If you're going to have fat, you're definitely better off if you've got some fat in the lower body," said Dr. Michael Jensen, director of endocrine research at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
People who carry their fat in their stomachs, also known as "apple-shaped" people, are said to have more problems from obesity than those who carry their fat in their hips
Dr. Robert Kushner, a professor medicine specializing in obesity at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago explained that the fat stored in the stomach is harmful because "it is more metabolically active," sending fatty contents and messages throughout the body, whereas fat in the lower regions of the body tends to be more stable and release fewer cytokines, which have been implicated in the insulin resistance that can lead to diabetes.
The only thing I would caution against is taking this research to mean that being fat is ok. You should aim to strive for overall health but a little junk in the trunk never hurt anybody!
Shana is a 25 year old communications professional who took her health into her own hands and started her weight loss journey mid 2010, but really took charge when she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2012. She is the creator of the health and fitness blog Big Boned Gets Toned! You can also view her Big Boned Gets Toned! weight loss vlog on YouTube.Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock.com