Health Alert: 'Apple-Shaped' Figures Can Cause Breast Cancer... Research

A BULGING stomach could put women at risk of infertility, cancer and heart disease, a health charity has warned.

New research has shown “apple” figures are becoming more common than the healthier “pear” shape.

The first occurs when women are plump around the middle but have smaller bums like singer Adele, while pear-shaped hotties like Mercy Johnson and Genevieve Nnaji have a defined waist but a bigger bum.

Dr Davina Deniszczyc, at Nuffield Health, said: “Whilst waist size may seem like a cosmetic issue, it is an important indicator of overall health and well-being.

“Fat stored around the waist can contribute to significant issues such as breast cancer and infertility.”

Most women in Britain have an unhealthy "apple figure", putting them at risk of life-threatening illnesses, according to research.

A survey of 54,000 people found more than half had a Body Mass Index (BMI) that exceeded the healthy 18-25 range, with more than 16% classed as moderately or morbidly obese.

The majority of British women would be classed as a "high health risk" because their waist measures 5cm (2in) more than the recommendation of 80cm (31.5in) or less, the research said.

The average waist-to-hip ratio has also increased suggesting the "apple" has replaced the "pear" as the most typical female body shape.

The research showed excess weight around the waist increases the risk of breast cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes and can harm fertility.A