If you can ’ t get rid of your pot belly , no matter how hard you try , blame your Plexin D1 gene . Scientists believe the gene tells fat to gather around the middle , rather than the bottom and thighs . In other words , it influences whether someone is an ‘ apple ’ , with a big tummy , or a ‘ pear ’ , who widens out below the waist . It raises the possibility of pills that stop fat from being stored around the waist – meaning an end to pot bellies and muffin tops . Apple-shaped : Scientists have discovered that a gene called Plexin D1 influences whether a person is an 'apple ' , with a big belly , or a 'pear ' with fat on their hips and thighs . And the benefits wouldn ’ t just be cosmetic . The discovery of the ‘ apple-shape ’ gene is important because being an ‘ apple ’ who stores fat around the middle is worse for health than being a ‘ pear ’ . Unlike the fat that pads out pear-shapes , belly fat wraps around the body ’ s vital organs and produces hormones and other chemicals that tamper with blood pressure , cholesterol , blood sugar levels . As a result it raises the risk of a host of health problems including heart disease , diabetes and strokes . To get to the bottom of how fat is stored , the US researchers studied zebra fish , tiny tropical fish whose transparent bodies make it see their inner workings . By using a dye that turned fat cells fluorescent , they showed that fish without a gene called Plexin D1 stored less fat around their abdomen than usual . Muffin top : Fat around the middle is dangerous to health as it wraps itself around vital organs , and raises the risk of health problems including heart disease , diabetes and strokes . Instead , the fat was stored in more a pear-shaped pattern , the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports . The fish without apple-shape gene were also better at processing sugar – something that should cut the odds of diabetes . With the Plexin-1 gene thought to have a similar role in people , the research paves the way for a drug that stops people from growing big bellies . Researcher Dr James Minchin , of Duke University , in North Carolina , said that this could also be good for health .
the D1 gene determines whether a person is ' fat ' or ' pear ' shaped . Discovery increases possibility of pills to stop fat being stored on the belly . Unlike fat on hips and thighs , belly fat wraps itself around vital organs . Raises risk of illnesses including heart disease , diabetes and diabetes .