Belly-Fat Myths That Need to Go Away

Doctors have long held the belief that the fat that accumulates around the thighs and butt isn't as dangerous as the fat that makes up muffin tops and love handles, since the latter contains metabolically active cells that promote insulin resistance and raise diabetes and heart disease risk. But a 2013 University of California Davis study suggests that gluteal fat isn't so innocent after all: In volunteers with metabolic syndrome (a condition that affects 1 in 3 American adults and is classified as having three or more risk factors for heart disease or diabetes), this tissue secreted abnormal levels of proteins that researchers believe can also lead to inflammation and insulin resistance. Excess fat is unhealthy, wherever it is on the body, says lead author Ishwarlal Jialal, M.D., Ph.D.