Anatomic Differences in Fat Deposition

The anatomic distribution of body fat has a major influence on associated health risks. A waist/hip ratio (WHR) >0.8 for women and >1.0 for men is defined as android, apple-shaped, or upper-body obesity and is associated with more fat deposition in the trunk (Fig. 1A). In contrast, a lower WHR reflects a preponderance of fat distributed in the hips and thighs and is called gynoid, pear-shaped, or lower-body obesity. It is defined as a WHR of <0.8 for women and <1.0 for men. The pear shape, more commonly found in women, presents a much lower risk of metabolic disease, and some studies indicate that it may actually be protective. Thus, the clinician can use simple indices of body shape to identify those who may be at higher risk for metabolic diseases associated with obesity.

Figure 1:  A. Individuals with upper-body obesity (left) have greater health risks than individuals with lower-body obesity (right). B. Visceral fat is located inside the abdominal cavity, packed in between the internal organs. Subcutaneous fat is found underneath the skin.
About 80%–90% of human body fat is stored in subcutaneous (subq) depots in the abdominal (upper body) and the gluteal-femoral (lower body) regions. The remaining 10%–20% is in visceral depots located deep within the abdominal cavity (Fig. 1B). Excess fat in visceral and abdominal subq stores increases health risks associated with obesity.