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Belly fat increases risk of death among normal-weight people

Category: General Wellness

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic discovered that people who have a normal weight but a high amount of fat in their bellies have a higher risk of dying compared to individuals who are obese. These results may be relevant to people who need a blood test to assess their cardiovascular and metabolic health.

For the study, the researchers reviewed medical data collected from nearly 13,000 adults aged 18 or older. These subjects were divided into three groups according to body mass index, as well as two categories based on waist-to-hip ratios.

Among those who had a normal body mass index, the risks of cardiovascular death and mortality from all causes were 2.75 times and 2.08 times higher for subjects who had central obesity, respectively.

"The high risk of death may be related to a higher visceral fat accumulation in this group, which is associated with insulin resistance and other risk factors, the limited amount of fat located on the hips and legs, which is fat with presumed protective effects, and to the relatively limited amount of muscle mass," said researcher Karine Sahakyan, M.D., Ph.D.

People who have a normal body mass index but are still concerned about their cardiovascular and metabolic health may undergo a blood test to make sure they are healthy.