A to Z Health Guide 2007

Are you an apple or a pear? A small study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association compared obese adults who have an apple-shaped body and carry weight around the midsection with obese folks who have a pear-shaped body and carry weight around the hips. They found that people with apple-shaped bodies, who tend to secrete higher levels of insulin, did best on a low-glycemic-load diet that restricts carb-heavy foods like pasta; they lost an average of 13 lbs. in six months, compared with 5 lbs. on a low-fat diet. Pear shapes lost 10 lbs. on both diets but gained half the weight back. A separate study found that adults with a larger waist-to-hip ratio may be more likely to develop heart disease. How does your bod measure up?