Even people who are not overweight may be at higher risk of heart disease and other serious health problems if they suffer from abdominal adiposity, also known as central obesity or a pot belly. People with a normal body mass index were at substantially higher risk of dying if they had belly fat. The study tracked the health of more than 12,000 American adults over 14 years. The subjects had been weighed and measured at the start of the follow-up period, and their body mass index was calculated. Only people who were healthy to start with were included.
The scientists found that normal-weight people with a high waist-to-hip ratio–waists as large as or in some cases larger than their hips–were more than twice as likely to die during follow-up. Their risk of cardiovascular death was proportionally even higher. The investigators hypothesize that this is due to the association of visceral fat with inflammation and insulin resistance.
[European Society of Cardiology Congress in Munich, Aug. 27, 2012]
The People's Perspective on Medicine