Do I still have to worry about extra pounds if I don't have a pot belly?

BY: Michael Castleman

Yes. For years experts have harped on the dangers of belly fat and why having a pot-bellied “apple shape” is very unhealthy. But that doesn’t mean you can ignore excess pounds elsewhere. For almost 10 years, German researchers tracked the weight and health of 359,387 adults in nine European countries and found that people with excess weight -- regardless of where it’s deposited -- had significantly higher death rates than those who maintained a recommended weight.

Still, many studies continue to show that an apple shape is more hazardous to your health than the pear shape, and this study above agrees. Abdominal obesity raised risk of death more than excess weight carried in the hips and thighs. But plump pear-shaped people still had an increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and other potentially life-threatening conditions. So no matter what your body shape, watch those extra pounds!