While the human shape ranges from short to tall, thin to fat and anything in between, all of us belong to one of just three types of physique: the endomorph, the ectomorph and the mesomorph. Those people who are at the extreme end of these body types can be quite clearly defined simply by the way they look. However most of us fall somewhere in between any of these types. The physical characteristics of the mesomorph are often the most sought after and may be considered to have greater health benefits. However, this doesn't mean that those with the mesomorph type body aren't without any health concerns.


According to Dr William Sheldon, an American psychologist who spent much of his life researching and studying the varieties of the human form, those with a mesomorph shape can be defined by their greater than average muscle mass in comparison with other body types. In its most extreme form, the mesomorph has a large, square shaped head, muscular chest and shoulders with heavily muscled arms and legs and very little in the way of body fat.

Generally the male mesomorph has an athletic, strong and rectangular shaped body with well defined muscles and is probably seen as the ideal shape for men. And women mesomorphs are most likely to have an hourglass figure. Both these physical traits are seen as particularly healthy shapes.

While not gaining weight as easily as endomorphs who characteristically have a rounder shape, mesomorphs do have a propensity for gaining fat. And once they've gained too much fat, it can be difficult losing it again. Once they're overweight or obese they are of course susceptible to all the associated problems of being overweight, including type II diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Furthermore, raised levels of body fat can increase their risk of developing certain cancers such as breast, prostate and bowel. Though scientists are still unclear, it appears that those who are obese also have raised hormonal levels such as insulin, and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) which increase the risk of such cancers.

Because mesomorphs are of a muscular build, they'll never have the kind of thin, angular appearance of an ectomorph, categorized as having little body fat or muscle. So females who fit into the mesomorph category won't be able to achieve that body type no matter how much they diet. Instead, they should concentrate on defining and elongating their muscles to give them a leaner look.

Those with the more extreme mesomorph characteristics may have a problem with their BMI (body mass index) reading whereby they are mistakenly classified as overweight or obese. This type of problem often occurs with athletes who have developed overly large muscles in proportion to their body. Since BMI calculations only measure weight in proportion to height, it doesn't take their muscles into account, and with muscles mass weighing more than fat, their BMI result can be too high which, in this case, is misleading.

Though all physiques have their own health concerns, those with the mesomorph body type should consider themselves fortunate. Their body type allows them to develop a well-toned and athletic body with their developed muscle mass enabling them to eat more than most, but burn it off faster.  However, if they do gain weight it can be harder for them to shift it, so they still need to take care regarding eating a healthy diet and taking plenty of exercise to keep them in optimum shape.