Fruit is a healthy part of any diet but resembling an apple or pear implies certain health risks. The basic shape we become is our genetic gift or curse, depending on how you look at it. What we do to add or subtract to it is our responsibility.

So take a look at yourself. Do you tend to gain weight in your belly and back? If so, you're an apple. Do the calories go straight to your backside and thighs? A pear is your label. Doctors now know that the type of shape you were born with can predict your possibility of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, stroke, and even osteoporosis. But just because your parents gave birth to a pear or an apple doesn't mean that you also have to inherit the disease possibilities.

If you're not overweight as a teenager, you may enjoy the perks that come with your particular body shape. Apples usually have long, slender legs. They look elegant in short skirts and bathing suits. Pears have narrow waists and shapely butts. They look great in jeans. But add extra pounds to either shape, and the dangers come into play.

Apple-shaped people (both women and men) have a much higher risk of heart attack than pear-shaped people. They're also at greater risk for diabetes. Unfortunately, even normal weight apples have a tendency to have higher cholesterol and sugar levels.

But pear-shapes have their own concerns. Because of their larger hips, they often struggle to diet and many teen pears develop eating disorders. Pear-shaped women are more likely to develop osteoporosis after menopause. Worst of all, pear shaped-women can also add extra pounds around their middles and become an apple/pear.

Stress tends to add pounds around the middle because the stressed body tends to store fat near the liver. Stress-related weight creates a vicious cycle as metabolism drops and stomach acid increases, allowing your body to absorb more calories. Stress can also increase your appetite and you know the result of that. Any health regime should include stress reduction as well as a healthy diet and exercise.

If you're not sure of your body type, it's easy to determine. Measure your waist circumference (if you're not sure where it is, try one inch above your navel). Then measure the circumference around the largest part of your lower bottom. Divide the first number by the second. This will give you your waist to hip ratio. If the number is .80 or less, you are a pear. If it is greater than .80, you're an apple.

Medical experts have concluded that waist size and waist to hip ratio may be much more important in determining heart health risk than body weight. A normal weight person with a big waist may be much more at risk than an overweight person with a small waist.

Consider knowing your body shape a screening tool like any other medical test. If you found out you carried a certain gene for cancer or that you had abnormally high cholesterol at a young age, you'd certainly want to do everything in your power to reverse the odds by eating healthily and exercising daily.

The same is true for body shape. If you've been given the apple shape, consider it a heads' up to lead a healthy lifestyle so that your apple body stays fit. If a pear is your lot, guard its positives and be careful not to let excess weight gain add the label apple on top of your pear. Our body shapes are ours to keep for a long time if we take care of ourselves properly.