New research from the American Heart Association warns that excess belly fat can increase the risk of heart disease even among people whose body mass index is considered healthy.
The AHA says abdominal or visceral fat around the organs is a significant cardiovascular risk. Waist-to-height and waist-to-hip measurements can help identify that risk and may provide information that BMI alone misses.
Excess abdominal fat is also linked to high blood pressure, diabetes, unhealthy cholesterol levels and fatty liver disease. At the same time, some people with an obesity-range BMI but relatively little belly fat may have a lower heart disease risk.
The report found that regular physical activity, along with reducing calorie intake, can help decrease abdominal fat and improve blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Weight loss may also reduce inflammation and improve blood vessel health.
The AHA says obesity is associated with earlier heart disease, more years living with cardiovascular illness and a shorter average lifespan, despite what researchers call the “obesity paradox,” in which some overweight patients have better short-term outcomes after developing heart disease.
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