Bottom line in longevity

A bigger bottom could be linked to good health and long life, say doctors.

The location of excess fat is more important than overall weight when it comes to good heart health in older women.

Researchers found that women who put on weight around their bottom, hips and thighs were less likely to suffer from heart disease than those with fat round the stomach.

This 'central fat' was more closely associated with atherosclerosis - the build-up of fatty material in the arteries that is often a prelude to a heart attack or stroke.

The study also found that 'peripheral fat' - on the bottom, legs and arms - was less strongly implicated in problems with the way the body processes blood sugar that can lead to diabetes, said Dr László Tankó.

Dr Tankó's study in Denmark, reported in the journal Circulation, involved 1,350 women aged between 60 and 85.

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