The unhealthiest body shape is the apple body shape also known as abdominal obesity.
The apple shaped body is considered the unhealthiest body shape because it indicates you have a high concentration of visceral fat around your internal organs, which raises risks for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke.
The apple shaped body is defined by having a larger waist when compared to your hips, with a ratio of >0.85 in women and >0.9 in men.
The main risks associated with the apple shaped body include visceral fat, heart disease and diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome includes high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol.
People with an apple shaped body also are at higher risk for heart disease and diabetes, even if their total BMI is not in the overweight range.
And unlike the subcutaneous fat, "under your skin", the visceral fat, is deep in your abdomen and surrounds your organs and leads to chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and higher risk of mortality.
To identify an apple shaped body, measure the waist.
Having a waist circumference of more than 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men is a key indicator of having an apple shaped body.
To manage the apple shaped body, reduce your sugary food and carbohydrate intake, while also increasing your fiber intake as well as exercise, which can help to reduce the visceral fat and mitigate these risks.
And although body shape is also partially genetic, it's also possible for you to change your body composition through exercise and nutrition, which also reduces your risk associated with this or any body shape.