Do you have a little extra padding on the behind?  Extra junk in your trunk?  Research shows that fat stored around the backside and thighs may actually be beneficial, as opposed to fat stored in the stomach region.

Butt Fat vs. Stomach Fat
While it’s been known that fat stored around the stomach area has been linked to cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and diabetes, fairly recent studies have shown that fat stored in the butt and thigh region may help protect against these diseases by producing beneficial hormones and trapping fatty acids.

The Problem
Unfortunately, you can’t control where fat is stored as it’s believed to be more genetic than anything.  Men typically store more fat in the gut than women which may explain why men have a higher risk for heart disease.  However, premenopausal women who currently store more fat on their behind aren’t exactly off the hook either.

“The moment you go into menopause and your hormones change, you lose your typical female appearance and you gain stomach fat and at the same time your risk for heart disease and diabetes becomes comparable to men of the same age,” says researcher Konstantinos Manolopoulos of the University of Oxford in England.

The Solution
Contrary to popular belief, you can’t spot reduce fat, meaning you can’t just lose fat in the stomach region. So how do you lose stomach fat then? Simple: In order to lose stomach fat, or fat anywhere on the body for that matter, you need to decrease your overall body fat through proper diet and/or exercise.  By simply eating a proper diet and exercising you will not only melt away body fat across your entire body, but more importantly you will be improving your overall health as well.

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