Thigh Fat
If you are woman who is thinking about getting
liposuction to rid yourself of the fat in your thighs, think again.
Dr. Anne B. Newman of the University of Pittsburgh found that
thigh fat may be good fat (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &
Metabolism, August 12, 2005). Older women with lots of fat in
their thighs are at much lower risk for "metabolic syndrome," a
condition associated with high blood sugar, cholesterol and blood
pressure that increases risk for diabetes and heart disease.
The
fat stored in the abdomen and wrapped around
organs is "bad fat" because the blood that flows from belly fat goes directly to your liver, whereas the blood that flows from your hips goes into your general circulation. The livers of those who store fat in their bellies are blocked from removing insulin by the extra fat and therefore do not remove insulin from the bloodstream as effectively as the livers of people who store fat primarily in their hips. People who store fat primarily in their bellies have higher blood insulin and sugar levels, which raise levels of the bad LDL cholesterol that causes heart attacks, and lower levels of the good HDL cholesterol that prevents heart attacks.
In post-menopausal women, heavy thighs and buttocks
are associated with lower triglycerides, blood sugar and blood
pressure. However, women who also stored lots of fat in their
bellies lost much of their advantage.
We aren’t sure how thigh fat prevents disease. It may be
a receptacle that draws triglycerides and other fats from the
bloodstream or it may draw fat from the abdomen and around
organs where it could be lethal. Sadly, there is no way to store
fat only in the thighs. When you gain weight, you add fat
everywhere. But it’s safer to look like a pear than an apple.
Checked 8/29/09