People come in all shapes and sizes. Some of us are fatter or leaner than others but we all have fat. When it comes to health, it makes a difference where that fat is stored--whether we are top or bottom heavy. In other words, are you shaped like an apple (top heavy) or a pear (bottom heavy)?

Although all fat cells are filled with the same kind of fat, the fat cells in the abdomen are smaller and more active than fat cells located behind the arms, in the hips and thighs and under the skin. The more active abdominal fat responds quickly to stress and releases fat into the blood for "fight or flight." When you don't accept that natural disposition for fight-or-flight, that abdominal fat dumped into the blood stream flows immediately to the liver where it is converted into the more dangerous artery-clogging LDL cholesterol. Combine this with the increase in blood pressure that often accompanies stress, the release of cortisol that stores fat and, if you aren't exercising to reduce stress, you've a cycle that can clog your arteries and cause a heart attack or stroke.

Researchers have spent years attempting to correlate this relationship between this abdominal fat, heart disease and stroke. They've come up with a mathematical calculation that can predict your risk. Follow the directions below to learn YOUR risk.