ET Big bottoms come out tops for good health
By Tara Womersley

WOMEN who constantly ask the question, "Does my bum look big in this?" can take comfort from research that shows larger derrieres are a sign of good health.

A study looking at the hip sizes of around 1,400 women found that those with a larger circumference were less likely to suffer from diabetes and heart disease. The hip measurements of Swedish women aged 38 to 60 were taken between 1968 and 1969 and the subjects were followed up 24 years later. The research, which will be revealed at a European conference on obesity in Vienna this week, found that women with a hip size greater than 41in were likely to live longer.

Prof Lauren Lissner, of the Centre for Nutritional Epidemiology at Goteborg University in Sweden, said: "With everything else remaining constant, a lower fat distribution does seem to be beneficial. The women we looked at were all of average weight, between 60kg and 65kg [9st 6lb/129lbs and 10st 3lb/143lbs], with a body mass index of between 20 and 25.

"A simplification of our result is that if two women had the same body mass index - weight divided by height squared - the one with the larger hips is better off. We do not know why this is, but maybe it has something to do with pelvic sizes and childbearing." Prof Lissner stressed that none of the women in the study had been obese and that there was an obvious correlation between very large hips and heart disease.

Dr Wendy Doyle, of the British Dietetic Association, said she hoped the research would encourage women to value more natural figures. But she added: "We must not take this as a green light to be complacent and still need to watch our weight. "We know that it is better to have pear-shape figures instead of apple shape because fat around the tummy puts pressure on the heart and internal organs."

-- Anonymous, May 27, 2001

Answers

I must be "healthy"! hahahahahaha

-- Anonymous, May 28, 2001