Know your fruit, know your disease risk

By Bruce Naherniak

May 8, 2008

Odd people are called ‘fruits.’ Southern belles are called ‘Georgia peaches’ But what in tarnation does it mean when someone starts calling you an ‘apple’ or a ‘pear?’

Believe it or not, this fruit labelling has to do with disease risk.

While no one wants to be called a fruit, being an apple or a pear isn’t an insult. It describes your body type. This shape gives you a general idea of some health risks associated with where you carry your body fat. The pear-shaped person is one who collects weight around his or her hips and thighs. Apples are people who collect their extra insulation around their waists or bellies.

Which body type is more prone to health problems? (Insert drum roll here...) The poor old apple. Carrying more weight around your mid-line puts you at greater risk for high cholesterol, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

While genetics play a major role in determining what fruit you look like, gender and age are other important factors. Women tend to be pear-shaped while the hombres are most often apples. However, women aren’t immune to changing their fruit-type. After menopause, with the decrease in estrogen, women start storing fat around the mid-line, too, and they can become more like apples.

A quick test to find out what fruit you are is to take a waist-to-hip ratio, by dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement. For women, a waist-to-hip ratio of more than 0.8 means they are are apples. Men are apples at a ratio greater than 1.0.

Whatever fruit you are, eating well and exercise are important. And like my mom always said, you can call me whatever you want — just don’t call me late for supper.

Until next time, live well and be well.

Dr. Bruce Naherniak and his brother, Dr. Scott Naherniak, are chiropractors in Winnipeg. They operate Cornerstone Chiropractic Wellness Centre, #55 - 11 Reenders Dr., and can be reached at 777-5433 or drbou812@gmail.com.