An earlier study from the University of Oxford and Churchill Hospital in the United Kingdom has been getting some big attention. According to study authors, "increased gluteofemoral fat mass is independently associated with a protective lipid and glucose profile, as well as a decrease in cardiovascular and metabolic risk." Meaning, ladies when the butt is round, you and the children you bear are a bit more protected from chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease, with lower levels of cholesterol and the increased production of hormones that metabolize sugar.

"If you're going to have fat, you're definitely better off if you've got some fat in the lower body," Dr. Michael Jensen, director of endocrine research at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. told ABC. "If you look at people who have primarily the pear shape, they're healthy in all the ways that this fat behaves. It's not just less heart attacks or less diabetes, it's all these ways we think about fat as an important organ for our health."

The thigh and buttock area fat is also high in Omega-3 fatty acids and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are both important for fetal brain development, as HNGN previously reported. "The fat in these areas is a depot for building a baby's brain," Will Lassek, a professor at the University of Pittsburg, told News Corp Australia. "You need lots of fat to make a nervous system and the fats in these areas are also enriched in DHA, which is a particularly important component in the human brain. It looks as if women have evolved to accumulate these fats and hold on to them - until a baby arrives."

After that, you draw fat for your breastmilk from your thighs, according to Science Times. Yes, it's good for your baby, but thank nature for providing an easy way for you to lose the baby weight.

The "best shapes" for Omega-3 storage are "pear" or "hourglass" shapes. Get out your tape measure and see where you fall. Divide your waist size by your hip size. The smaller the result, the bigger the badonkadonk.

So, why is J.Lo so hot? Why is Nicki Minaj's derrière a sight to behold?

"Your typical runway model, with a 24-inch waist and 34-inch hips, has a waist-hip ratio of .71. Your average size 10, with a 28-inch waist and 39-inch hips, is a .72," the Chicago Tribune explained. "Jennifer Lopez, at 26 and 39, is a .67."

Mystery solved.

Your body shape is determined by genetics, so love what your mama gave you knowing your extra padding is truly extra protection.