However, he warns that this does not mean people with central obesity should try to gain more weight in hopes redistributing fat.
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The risk increase was higher for men than for women. Men with normal BMI but a large WHR were roughly twice as likely to die within 5 or 10 years as other men. It’s the accumulation of “visceral” fat around internal organs.
Looking at a person’s BMI does not give a fill picture of his or her risk of heart disease; rather, a person’s risk profile is defined by whether or not their body fat is spread all over the body or concentrated in the stomach.
The 14-year study published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine looked at more than 15,000 adults.
“There are many different names for it”, said study co-author Thais Coutinho, a cardiologist at the Ottawa Heart Institute.
What kind of research was this? But this is the first study to show that central obesity appears to be riskier than obesity. That’s the stunning finding from a huge new study. Other factors could be having an influence.
Dr Francisco Lopez-Jimenez said: “Normal-weight central obesity defined by WHR is associated with higher mortality than BMI-defined obesity, particularly in the absence of central fat distribution”.
The effects on women were less pronounced, but still noticeable.
Based on the findings, obesity in general can lead to premature death.
“Even if you’re normal weight, that belly fat is bad”, said Dr. Nichole Fearing, a bariatric surgeon at Menorah Medical Center.
Although it’s always been proven that obesity is a serious health risk, those of normal build who proudly carry their beer guts may be at greater danger of cardiovascular disease and early death than those who are classified as obese.
Having a “spare tyre” round the middle is more risky than simply being obese, research has shown. Finally, divide your waist size by your hip size: “Waist (in inches) / Hips (in inches) = ratio”. Women with fat bellies and normal BMI had a 48 percent greater likelihood of death than those with normal BMI and belly size.
How did the researchers interpret the results?
“This idea that central obesity might be related to health issues is not new”. They call for measures of central obesity to be used alongside BMI to calculate people’s risk.
“When people lose weight, a few of their weight they lose will be muscle mass, if they don’t exercise”, Lopez-Jimenez said. There have been studies carried out before stating that abdominal fat is related to risks of cardiovascular and metabolic disease.
Excess visceral fat is associated with insulin resistance – which can lead to diabetes – higher levels of cholesterol and blood fats, and inflammation. Only 322 men (11.0%) and 105 women (3.3%) were in this risk group.
Is Skinny-Fat an Actual Health Problem?
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Abdominal muscles are weaker in Indians and hence the people tend to put on more weight around the waist compared to the Western counterparts who put on more weight on the buttocks and thighs, he said.
