What Are The Health Risks To Men Who Have A Big Belly -- The So-Called Apple Shape?

Dr. Donald Hensrud answers the question: 'Health Risks of a Big Belly on Men?'

ByABC News
December 22, 2008, 3:55 PM

July 1, 2009— -- Question: What are the health risks to men who have a big belly -- the so-called apple shape?

Answer: Men tend to carry more of their weight around the middle or abdomen, which is known as the apple shape. Women in general tend to carry more of their weight around the hips, thighs and buttocks or otherwise known as a pear shape. In general, people who have an apple shape are at higher risk for a number of conditions collectively known as the metabolic syndrome. This includes high blood glucose, or a tendency toward diabetes, high blood pressure and dyslipodemia which is high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol.

The importance of these conditions is that, collectively, they're all risk factors for coronary heart disease -- that's why it's important for people who do have an apple distribution to do the basics that can help reduce that, and that is weight loss and exercise. This will decrease the risk for many of these conditions and for heart disease.