"Pear-shaped" participants with metabolic syndrome had higher levels of chimerin and lower levels of omentin-1 -- proteins associated with insulin resistance and blood glucose, respectively -- indicating that patients with gluteal fat may show similar diabetes and heart disease risk as those who are "apple-shaped" with abdominal fat, a study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism showed. However, exercise can help curb fat levels and reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome.