Can big bottoms boost health?

If you’ve got a little extra cushion when you sit down, you may have a lower risk for heart disease and diabetes.

A new study finds that gluteofemoral fat–better known as butt fat–may actually protect against these two common and deadly health problems.

But before you reach for another jelly donut, understand there’s a catch here as big as an oversized bottom: The benefits begin and end with the rear end.

If you’ve got extra fat anywhere else, especially around the belly, you’ve cancelled out any of the benefits–and you’re setting yourself up for a lifetime of the obesity, diabetes and heart problems that the big bottom is suppose to help you avoid.

Some researchers believe that not all body fat is created equal. Most of it’s bad for us – especially the spare tire many Americans lug around. But the fat deposits around the rear may be able to fight cytokines, according to the study published in the International Journal of Obesity.

Cytokines are proteins that cause the inflammation linked to so many age-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and even some forms of cancer.

But let’s not get carried away with this one.

If you’re slender–and if you are, lucky you–don’t worry about adding fat to any part of your body, unless you’re so stick-figure thin that you’re unhealthy because of it. Somehow, I don’t think that’s a problem for too many people.

And if you’re on the heavier side, don’t put off losing weight under the mistaken notion of wanting to keep the health benefits of a bigger bottom.

In the end, you’ll be healthiest if you eat right and keep your weight in check. It’s still the best way to lower your risk for any number of conditions–including heart disease and diabetes.

And if you need a little extra cushion when you sit, carry a pillow.