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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
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
A study found that waist measurements can identify potential cardiovascular risks that may be missed when doctors rely on BMI.(iStock)
BMI IS WRONG WAY TO MEASURE OBESITY, RESEARCHERS SAY — HERE’S WHAT THEY RECOMMEND INSTEAD
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
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“BMI only tells us weight relative to height, it doesn’t tell us where fat is stored, and that matters,” Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator and author of the book “The Sleepdemic Solution,” told Fox News Digital
Fat carried around the abdomen can pose different health concerns than fat stored elsewhere on the body, said Palinski-Wade, who was not involved in the study
Among people with normal or overweight BMI’s, larger waist sizes or higher waist-to-hip ratios were generally linked to a 15% to 50% higher risk of heart-related health problems and death during the study.(iStock)
“Where you carry fat matters more than how much you carry, because visceral fat, the fat wrapped around abdominal organs, is metabolically active tissue that drives inflammation, insulin resistance, and artery damage in a way that fat under the skin elsewhere on the body doesn’t,” she said
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Palinski-Wade said the research highlights why BMI alone may not provide a complete picture of a person’s heart health
“BMI doesn’t tell the whole story, where you carry fat may matter more than the number on the scale,” she said
Experts say the location of body fat may be more important than the overall amount. Fat stored deep in the abdomen around internal organs can promote inflammation, interfere with insulin function, and harm blood vessels.(iStock)
Researchers examined several health outcomes over the course of the study, including heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, atrial fibrillation and cardiovascular-related deaths
In addition, the researchers noted several limitations of the study, including that they did not have information on participants’ physical activity, diets or genetic risk for obesity, all of which can play a role in cardiovascular disease
The study also measured waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio only once, limiting researchers’ ability to determine how changes in abdominal fat over time may affect heart disease risk
