Are you an "apple" or a "pear?" Without a doubt, that will be an important fitness question to answer in as you assess your fitness and health. In the past, it was believed that any extra weight was unhealthy. But today, it may be the location of your fat cells (your basic shape) that predicts whether your excess weight is a potential health hazard--or only an unattractive nuisance.

Research headed by Dr. Wayne Calloway, at the Mayo Clinic, has revealed that "apples," or folks who carry extra fat in their waist, belly, or abdomen, are more prone to fat-related health problems than are pear-shaped people, whose extra fat settles into their buttocks and thighs.

If you are an "apple," take note: Your belly fat is more metabolically active than fat located elsewhere. That means that your fat is more dangerous. It is associated with a host of health problems, including heart disease, hypertension and even diabetes. And men with high waist-to-hip ratios, those with "pot bellies and no buns," have been shown to have up to four times the normal risk of heart attacks and twice the risk of diabetes.

To make matters worse, even normal-weight folks can be "metabolically obese," meaning they are at a greater risk for medical complications because they have too much abdominal fat that leads to the typical "apple" shape.

But the good news is that Dr. Calloway's research shows that it is far easier for "apples" to shed extra weight than it is for pear-shaped folks.

"Pears" chronically complain about having fatty thighs, hips and buttocks. While their figures may not be perfect, "pears" do not seem to suffer many health risks due to their fat, as long as it is not accompanied by excess belly fat, too. The problem for "pears" is that their extra weight is harder to lose.

With this in mind, do not be surprised when your physician or registered dietitian pulls out a tape measure at your next office visit. Waist and hip measurements now provide one more answer to the puzzle that we call weight control. It is important to note that there are additional factors such as smoking or diabetes that, combined with excess weight, can greatly increase one's risk for health problems.

Determine your BMI

Once you learn whether you are an apple or a pear, you can then determine if you are overweight by figuring out your body mass index, or BMI. Your BMI is a measure of fatness, not just just body weight, and can help identify your risk of developing certain health problems, such as coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Your BMI (using pounds) is calculated with this formula:

Multiply your weight (in pounds) by 704.5.
Multiply your height (in inches) by your height (in inches).
Divide the first result by the second.
For example, if you are 5'5" and weigh 140:
140 x 704.5 = 98,630
65 x 65 = 4,225
98,630 divided by 4,225 = 23

For determining your BMI with metric measurements:

Multiply your weight (in kilograms) by 10,000.
Multiply your height (in centimeters) by your height (in centimeters).
Divide the first result by the second.
For example, if you are 165 centimeters and weigh 63.6 kilograms:
63.6 x 10,000 = 636,000
165 x 165 = 27,225
636,000 divided by 27,225 = 23.4

A 1999 study showed the healthiest BMI range for men at 23.5 to 25.0; for women, 22.0 to 23.5. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute believes that you are overweight if you have a BMI above 25.0, the higher your BMI, the greater your risk. As body mass index levels go up, so do levels of blood pressure and total cholesterol increasing the risk of problems such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

For body mass calculator go to: www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/calc-bmi.thm