A person’s waist size may reveal more about their heart health than the number on the scale, according to new research. A study found that waist measurements can identify potential cardiovascular risks that may be missed when doctors rely on body mass index (BMI) alone.
Study Findings
Researchers from the Cross-Cohort Collaboration analyzed data from nearly 260,000 adults enrolled in 15 long-term health studies, following participants for about 20 years. The findings, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, showed that some people considered a normal weight based on BMI still carried higher levels of fat around their midsection.
Among participants in the normal and overweight BMI ranges, those with larger waist measurements or higher waist-to-hip ratios generally faced a 15% to 50% greater risk of several heart-related problems and death during the study period, according to the study.
The results suggest that looking at how weight is distributed across the body may provide a more complete picture than BMI alone. Erin Palinski-Wade, a registered dietitian, noted that fat carried around the abdomen can pose different health concerns than fat stored elsewhere on the body.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
