Ever wondered why some people are apple-shaped while others look like pears? It's because of a protein which determines your body shape, say scientists. Researchers at the Edinburgh University identified the protein, known as 11BetaHSD1, which plays a part in how and where fat is stored in the body -- around the hips or on the tummy.

The findings, the researchers said, shed light on how the protein works, which could help development of medicines to treat obesity, the Daily Mail reported. Levels of 11BetaHSD1 are higher when an unhealthy type of body fat is stored around the torso. This is typical of overweight people whose "apple-shaped" bodies put them at greater risk of heart disease, the researchers said.

But lower levels of the protein are found when healthier fat is stored around the hips -- typical of "pear-shaped" people -- and used more safely as a source of energy, they said. According to scientists, fat packed around the organs in the abdomen is more dangerous than fat on the hips because it's "metabolically active", releasing more of the acids that raise heart disease risk, along with factors that increase blood pressure and blood sugar.