The benefits of junk in the trunk.

This week, western science figured out what 80% of the world population has known for millennia, when a new study out of Oxford showed that having a little extra bootiliciousness actually works to your advantage from a health perspective. From the BBC:

Evidence shows that fat around the thighs and backside is harder to shift than fat around the waist.

Although this may sound undesirable, it is actually beneficial because when fat is broken down quickly it releases a lot of cytokines which trigger inflammation in the body, say experts.

These cytokines have been linked to cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and diabetes.

The slower burning hip fat also makes more of the hormone adiponectin that protects the arteries and promotes better blood sugar control and fat burning.

In comparison, carrying excess fat around the stomach, being "apple shaped", raises the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

In other words, pear = good, apple = bad. That said, it's not that simple. It's impossible to spot-burn fat, so this news really doesn't have a lot of practical applications. Secondly, it's not an excuse to be obese. You can have a can that makes Jennifer Lopez look like Olive Oyl, but if you're too overweight, the Grim Reaper still has you on his dance card.

On the other hand, all you lady gym rats out there doing StairMaster all day in hopes that you'll one day be able to crack walnuts on your keyster can just relax. A few curves don't hurt.