Saddlebags are accumulations of fat on the bottom, hips and the inside of the knees and occur almost exclusively in women.
It is often women with slim upper bodies who are particularly affected. If the accumulations of fat resist all kinds of diet and sporting activity, saddlebags can be a sign of lipoedema, an inherited disorder of fat distribution. Further signs of lipoedema are the tendency to develop spider veins and bruises and sensitivity to touch and pressure. In contrast to lymphoedema, it is always both legs – sometimes also the arms – that are affected.