We tend to focus our attention on weight - but even more important (at least for heart attack risk) is the size of your belly. If you have a lot of belly fat, you have an increased risk of death. In short, the circumference of your waist may be one of the most important mortality indicators that we have.
In the past, researchers and doctors liked to focus in BMI (body-mass index) a measure of whether you are at the right weight for your height. While this measure is good for most people, it incorrectly places athletes into "high risk" categories. A (perhaps) better measure is to look at your waist circumference. In a study of 245,533 people aged 51 to 72, the 20% of men with the largest waist circumference were 22% more likely to die over a 9 year period.
Researchers believe that belly fat is a sign that a person has fat around their organs (called visceral fat). This seems to be a higher risk for men and (oddly) for Asians.
In the past, researchers and doctors liked to focus in BMI (body-mass index) a measure of whether you are at the right weight for your height. While this measure is good for most people, it incorrectly places athletes into "high risk" categories. A (perhaps) better measure is to look at your waist circumference. In a study of 245,533 people aged 51 to 72, the 20% of men with the largest waist circumference were 22% more likely to die over a 9 year period.
Researchers believe that belly fat is a sign that a person has fat around their organs (called visceral fat). This seems to be a higher risk for men and (oddly) for Asians.
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