Overweight people can be described as apple shaped or pear shaped. Apples are generally men; male hormones encourage the storage of fat around the abdomen. Pear shaped women store their fat in their hips and thighs.

Doctors agree that apples are at a greater risk compared to pears. The fat stored in the abdomen is nearer to the heart and major blood vessels and is more likely to cause heart disease and stroke. Post menopausal women also store more fat in the abdomen. This may be due to the ebbing of female hormones and explains why older women are at a greater risk of heart disease than their younger counterparts.

It is not possible to remove the ‘spare tire’ through spot reduction. Regular exercise and a low fat diet is the only way to lose the fat. The good news is that apples lose fat more easily than pears. The fat stored in the thighs is of a particularly tenacious variety and is not daunted by exercise. Stomach fat on the other hand is easy to get rid of.