women with broad hips in the States

[chantelle]

I'm going to ask a question now, and please, I hope nobody will take it the wrong way. It's just something that I noticed once and I couldn't really find any explanation for it.

 

I spent some times in the States and what caught my attention was that a lot of women had very broad hips and thighs. Their upper body would be slim, but the lower part would be really big, like they were wearing big saddlebags on each side of their hips and all the fat would be concentrating in this region. I've seen overweight women and usually they are bigger everywhere, everything on their body is a little bit bigger, but these women looked so disproportionate. I've never seen this anywhere else, just in the States. I have to admit, the first time I saw a woman who looked like this I was a bit shocked. It looked absolutely weird, not like the usual overweight women I have seen as far as now.

 

Is there any explanation to it? Is it the food, an increased prescription of the pill?

 

P. S. This is not supposed to be thread for bashing people, so I'd appreciate it if anybody who has problems with overweight people would just to stay out of this thread, ok?

[ChickenRun]

This is weird, because I noticed this too...

[Adunaphel]

I've never been to the US, but in my country(Italy) I am used to see ladies with a bodily fat distribution like the one you described.

I have always assumed it was not uncommon no matter what country you live in, but perhaps I was wrong.

I would look exactly that way, too, if I gained a lot of weight.

If you don't mind me asking, where are you from?

[chantelle]

I've never been to the US, but in my country(Italy) I am used to see ladies with a bodily fat distribution like the one you described.

I have always assumed it was not uncommon no matter what country you live in, but perhaps I was wrong.

I would look exactly that way, too, if I gained a lot of weight.

If you don't mind me asking, where are you from?

I'm from Switzerland. I've been to a couple of European countries, including Italy, and I've never seen similar proportions. Italian women I think tend to be a little bit more curvy, especially when they get older, but it's nothing compared to what I've seen in the States. Example, a woman has a bust circumference of 85 cm, her waistline is 68 cm and her hips are like 130 cm. This is kind of disproportionate. Even when women tend to store fat around their hips, they usually don't do it to such extremes, eventually they will grow bigger everywhere when they gain weight.

 

The first time I saw a woman with these proportions I found it utterly bizarre. I hope this doesn't sound like I'm cruel, but I'm really curious about this, because as far as now I have only seen this phenomenon in the States.

[Fun2BMe]

It might have to do with the fact that in the US walking isn't as common as in other countries. People drive. Also women have sedentary jobs sitting all day at the office eating junk food, then sitting in the car through traffic to get home, not uncommon eating a hamburger and other fast food in the car, then at home sitting on the couch to watch hours of TV with no long distance walking in between. All the fat would go to the thighs and butt. The upper body is either typing, driving, washing dishes or doing other activities disproportionately to the lower body resulting in what you observed. I exercise but not everyone does and what I mention above could relate to many women.

[Neptune]

It`s all got to do with diet, exercise and genetics. In the USA:

 

Diet Probably the worst in the world

 

Exercise Probably the least in the world

 

Genetics A really mixed bag, but take note of some families body structure and it is evidently a factor.

[jen_jen_heartbroken]

Many medical books and articles have been written about this... I think much of it has to do with the hormones that are in US meat and dairy. Our government doesn't strictly regulate the levels of hormones that can be administered to livestock, as European countries do. Women in the US get their periods earlier and generally experience puberty much earlier than their European counterparts. Widening of the hips is controlled by the amount of hormones released during puberty.

[a4a]

Interesting that you would bring up the hormones........ it is also in milk.

If the average person realized how much antibiotics and hormones are in their diet (unnatural ones) many would stop the consumption of animal products.

 

Bovine growth hormones do the body good

 

You can log on any vet med site and see the dose and use of antibiotic ect.

Farmers buy these otc....inject at will..... feeds are laced with antibiotics as well...... They are pulling Baytril off the otc list because it is having an effect on humans and antibiotic use via the food chain.

 

You are what you eat?

 

a4a

[chantelle]

Many medical books and articles have been written about this... I think much of it has to do with the hormones that are in US meat and dairy. Our government doesn't strictly regulate the levels of hormones that can be administered to livestock, as European countries do. Women in the US get their periods earlier and generally experience puberty much earlier than their European counterparts. Widening of the hips is controlled by the amount of hormones released during puberty.

Could you cite some sources? I had been googling a bit, but didn't really find any information to my question.

 

I'm sure hormones and antibiotics have effects on human beings, but I just wonder if there is a special factor that causes women in the States to have broader hips. Is there any scientific evidence?

[Outcast]

Body shape is genetic. People, apparently, tend to distribute fat in either 'apple' (all around the abdomen/belly) or 'pear' (hips and thighs) configuration. I suspect the reason it's so much more evident in the US is that the US is one of the most obese countries on the planet so women who might be just a little heavier in the bottom half in Europe look massive in the US because they've got so many more pounds of flab distributed according to their genetic pattern.

 

It can also be easier to disguise upper body flab under large, baggy sweaters, coats, etc where if you wear slacks (and most females do), there's no hiding what's underneath.

[a4a]

here is a start for you......

 

http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/rbgh_hormo.cfm

 

Being on the "farmer" side of this and dealing with antibiotics/hormones ect... I will state it is real.... and for those eating horse ( over 64,000 US horses slaughtered for human consumption then shipped overseas every year, you are eating some of the most potent drugs.... there is no withdrawl from the drugs given to these horses)

 

a4a

[a4a]

http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/general/hormones_meat.htm

 

Here is another link with more links with info that may guide you to understanding the use of hormones in the meat industry.

 

a4a

[Outcast]

You can blame hormones or you can blame the endless-filling-of-piehole-syndrome. I favour the latter.

[Lil Honey]

Body shape is genetic.

 

The location of body weight is as genetic as a person's height.

[Fun2BMe]

The location of body weight is as genetic as a person's height.

The answer is not that simple. People in the US for the most part are from Europe, so genes are similar. Hormones in birth control pills result in the onset of weight for most of the users and could have an affect on where the fat is stored.

 

Those on birth control see fat distributed to their hips and boobs for the most part. And that's true that dairy and meat have a lot of hormones in them at levels which cause cancer in most of the animals that are injected with the hormones, then they are processed with people who literally chop off the cancer masses in the slaughterhouse.

 

But how would that affect men's bodyshape if at all? It's true that the average age of puberty has dropped from age 14 to 9 for both boys and girls which was the same time hormones were heavily introduced into dairy and meat.

 

A few weeks ago on CNN it was showing a convention for doctors about how to deal with girls who start their periods as early as 6 which some doctors are experiencing in the past 5 years more and more.

 

Some countries allow for heavier hormones in the meat and dairy and the women end up growing hair on their body. I remember reading that somewhere. Also please keep in mind that the hormones used in meat are estrogen. These are the same hormones in birth control pills and people wonder why they are having a hard time getting pregnant these days! Also, estrogen has an effect on weight on women, estrogen doesn't effect men. The hormone for men is testosterone.

 

Also growth hormones that would cause hair growth (not to mention cancer) are in meat at very high levels but cooking at high temperatures destroys the chemicals. But how many people - a lot - do not thoroughly cook their meats? Some even eat their steaks a little bloddy. Some people unkowingly crave red meat due to the hormones in them that their bodies get accustomed to.

 

All of the info can be find in websites if you do a search. The hormones we eat help to explain why women's bodies are shaped differently in the US. Japan, who used to be the largest imported of US meat, had banned importing it for the past 2 years. The US threatened consequences if it continued its ban, on Dec. 12 2005 Japan said it will start importing but only on beef from cattle under 21 months old - over 21 months and they start getting higher rates of mad cow and heavier injections of hormones. There are other terms on the meat that must be complied with on orders sent to Japan that were not revealed (BBC news).

 

All the info above is from various websites.

[Outcast]

The hormones we eat help to explain why women's bodies are shaped differently in the US.

 

Sorry. Not believing it. Show me a definitive study.

[Fun2BMe]

Sorry. Not believing it. Show me a definitive study.

Ok lazybones, here is one of thousands that are on the web -

Scientists ascertained that there are three specific body shapes:

 

1. The android, or apple shape, is common among men. Fat deposits on the middle section of the body, mostly on the abdomen.

2. The gynoid, or pear shape, is more common among women. Fat is deposited on the hips and bottom.

3. A third type of body shape, the ovoid, does not differentiate between men and women. Here we can speak of an overall general coverage of body fat.

 

While, generally, physical condition and physical activity has a genetic and hormonal influence, fat distribution is influenced by age, genetic inheritance, race, but to a greater extent by gender-specific hormones. They are responsible for the distribution of fat on certain areas of our bodies. Estrogens, for example, which are responsible for the typical female sexual characteristics, will influence fat deposit in the pear format. They deposit on the hips, thighs, and belly, while testosterone will “lead” fat mostly towards the stomach and upper body.

 

The latest studies show that men's tendency towards the gynoid format has increased in the past 30 years.

 

One study shows a growth of two inches in men's hips in the past 30 years. According to researchers such as John R. Lee, M.D (specialist in natural progesterone therapy), Dr. Jesse Hanley and Dr. Peter Eckhart, modern life exposes people to increased amounts of estrogen and estrogen-like substances (xenoestrogens or foreign estrogens). Sources of these substances can be plastics, plastic drinking bottles, commercially raised beef, chicken and pork, personal care products, pesticides, herbicides, birth-control pills, spermicides, detergents, canned foods and lacquers. Increased estrogen levels in men not only make their hips fatten but are the main risk factor for disease such as prostate enlargement and cancer.

 

For women, the android pattern fat distribution also raises questions about hormonal imbalances. These situations are a potential cause of health problems such as polycystic ovary syndrome.

http://http://www.dietsindex.com/learn/body-fat-distribution-factors.html

 

Why are men now more shaped like women? This article, along with the thousands of others online (just do a search!) state that the primary hormone in meat is estrogen. Estrogen distributes fat to the hip and thighs. Testosterone causes bodily hair growth. It is destroyed by heat but those who drink a lot of cold milk without heating it could suffer from bodily hair growth and accompanied by premature hair loss - male characteristics resulting from testosterone naturally found in men, just like how men are suffering from female bodyform characteristics by ingesting estrogen. Again, it is all over the web, and in online medical journals. Doctors give estrogen injections to men who want to turn to women because of the female features such as larger hips it results in.

 

If only genes were resilient and ignored chemicals, but the body processes all the hormones and doesn't say 'ignore this hormone, it'll change the character of your natural genetic makeup'

[Outcast]

Um. This doesn't say anything about why women are shaped like women!

 

I notice you glossed over

plastics, plastic drinking bottles

and the rest of the stuff, BTW. And the source is not an authoritative one. Just because something is on the web doesn't mean it's correct.

 

Gender-related patterns of body fat deposition become established during puberty27 and, as with total body fat, show significant familial associations.28,29

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/102/1/e4

 

Genetic factors that influence fat metabolism and regulate certain hormones and proteins that affect appetite may play some part in 70% to 80% of obesity cases.

http://www.reutershealth.com/wellconnected/doc53.html

 

It's not that hormones cause a change in distribution but that people who have certain hormones because they got them genetically also have those patterns. Note that both women and men can be apple or pear-shaped even though men have more testosterone and women more estrogen.

[Fun2BMe]

Um. This doesn't say anything about why women are shaped like women!

It says fat distribution (i.e. shape of woman or man) is to a greater extent than the stuff I "glossed over" (plastics, which are to a small extent so I "glossed over it ) influenced by gender-specific hormones. It goes on to say that estrogen deposits fats in the belly thigh and butt creating the pear shape. If you want an authoratitive source on that, go look up that hormone in the encyclopedia.

 

If you want to believe that the introduction of synthetic hormones will not over-ride a genetic predisposition despite medical evidence then you probably don't believe birth control (estrogen) pills affect the body either as far as causing weight gain to the hip and prevention of pregnancy. The article (along with THOUSANDS of others, similarly stated by doctors...) that meat has estrogen in it and meat in Europe doesn't becuase the EU doesn't allow for it. Maybe this is all wrong, I don't want wrong info either! But it just seems to make sense to explain why women here have bigger boobs and hips, and men are starting to also.

 

Note that both women and men can be apple or pear-shaped even though men have more testosterone and women more estrogen.

How many women do you know have an apple figure - big belly with chicken legs, no thighs and no butt?

[Outcast]

But it just seems to make sense to explain why women here have bigger boobs and hips, and men are starting to also.

 

'Seems to make sense' maybe. Doesn't mean it's the case.

 

It goes on to say that estrogen deposits fats in the belly thigh and butt creating the pear shape

 

Yes but that wasn't a scientific source. The hormone I kept seeing be mentioned as responsible for the disposition of fat in scientific sources is leptin.

 

How many women do you know have an apple figure - big belly with chicken legs, no thighs and no butt?

 

Look around you! There's heaps! BTW, the legs & butt don't matter in this - it's carrying the weight mainly in the belly; i.e. a large gut. But, like I said, it's easier to disguise the big belly with large sweaters, sweatshirts, and shirts than it is to wear something baggy enough on your bottom half to hide the large thighs. Next time you go to Walmart, pay close attention to the women with big big tops on - there'll be many more of those than women with thunder thighs.

 

In fact, a study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2000 associated the apple shape with abdominal obesity rather than obesity in the lower half.

 

Huang's team wrote that "abdominal obesity" appears to be associated with increased estradiol, an estrogen which has been linked to increased breast cancer risk.

 

Similarly, a study led by Dr. Ingrid Hall of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, found a link between waist-to-hip ratio and breast cancer risk in both African-American and Caucasian women.

 

Writing in the American Journal of Epidemiology, Hall and her colleagues concluded that despite higher general obesity rates for African-American women compared with Caucasian women, overall body size does not appear to increase their relative risk of breast cancer. However, there does seem to be a specific link between an increasing waist-to-hip ratio and a greater risk for the disease.

 

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/breastcenter/artemis/200012/feature8.html

[SmoochieFace]

How many women do you know have an apple figure - big belly with chicken legs, no thighs and no butt?

 

...

[jen_jen_heartbroken]

No one mentioned childbirth. Sometimes the hips just don't go back. And what about all the women who have big hips and big boobs...the hourglass....or are they in the same category as the pears?

[Outcast]

And what about all the women who have big hips and big boobs...the hourglass....or are they in the same category as the pears?

 

Yep. The 'apple' or 'pear' is determined by the waist/hip ratio. Boobs aren't part of the equation.

[chantelle]

As far as I know the apple or pear shape is related to testosterone/estrogen. I thought estrogen was responsible for the feminine curves?

 

I'm just not convinced that the fat is everywhere and that the big bellies are hidden underneath of clothes. I had been working with a lady who had shown this figure and I did remember that I thought her waistline is small. It was also summer and she wasn't the kind of person to wear big baggy shirts.

[Outcast]

As far as I know the apple or pear shape is related to testosterone/estrogen. I thought estrogen was responsible for the feminine curves?

 

Here we go 'round again! No, there are plenty of women with 'apple' shapes though probably fewer men with 'pear' shapes. Read the posts above.

 

I had been working with a lady who had shown this figure and I did remember that I thought her waistline is small. It was also summer and she wasn't the kind of person to wear big baggy shirts.

 

Um. That's only one person. Not exactly a scientific sample.