For those of us with big butts, life can be a bit of a pain in the... Well, you know where that was going. Jeans don’t always fit how they’re supposed to, some chairs are just very uncomfortable to sit in and god forbid you want to wear a short skirt.
However, according to TikTok’s favourite surgeon, Dr Karan Rajan, there is a “weighty body of evidence” that the fat around the butt and thighs — the gluteofemoral region — is associated with the reduced risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease.
@dr.karanr Dump truck science
♬ original sound - Dr Karan Raj
So, before we all get too excited and think we’ve found the secret to near-immortality, it’s not quite as simple as it sounds.
See, this is only true when compared to visceral fat, which is stored around your internal organs, including your heart, liver and intestines.
According to Dr. Rajan, this fat is more metabolically active and releases cytokines and fatty acids, which can cause inflammation which is the “hallmark” of most chronic conditions.
However, the fat around our thighs and bums is mainly deposited under the skin, and fat in this region can act like a sponge, mopping up, storing and trapping harmful fatty particles. As a result, this stops the particles causing damage to the organs.
This kind of fat is also more stable than visceral fats, and less likely to break down and release harmful “inflammatory compounds”.
Dr Rajan adds that gluteofemoral fat is also better at producing hormones such as leptin, which can regulate the appetite and produce anti-inflammatory antioxidant compounds like adiponectin which overall improves metabolism.
However, the doctor warns that going for quick-fix solutions for visceral fat, like tummy tucks and liposuction operations, don’t improve metabolic health and are only done for aesthetic purposes.
As one commenter said, ”[I] can’t find jeans, but I’m gonna live forever”.
