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A recent study found that extra fat stored around the waist could be a more reliable indicator of heart failure risk than BMI, which estimates body fat based on weight and height. Where fat is stored in the body may be more important than overall weight. The research examined how waist size is linked to heart failure and the role inflammation may play in that connection.
Researchers found that visceral fat around the abdomen was more closely associated with heart failure, even among people with a normal weight. Visceral fat lies deep within the body, surrounding internal organs rather than sitting just beneath the skin. Inflammation appears to be a key factor, helping explain why this type of fat may be particularly harmful.
The study followed nearly 2,000 Black adults participating in an ongoing heart disease study. Over about seven years of follow-up, 112 participants were diagnosed with heart failure. The findings showed that measures of excess abdominal fat were linked to a higher risk of heart failure, whereas BMI was not. In particular, a larger waist circumference was associated with a 31% increase in risk, and a higher waist-to-height ratio with a 27% increase.
Researchers suggested that future studies should explore how abdominal fat and inflammation contribute to heart failure, and whether lowering inflammation could help reduce the risk of the condition.
Tracking waist size and levels of inflammation may help clinicians identify higher-risk individuals earlier, allowing them to target prevention strategies that could lower the likelihood of heart failure before symptoms appear.
This study emphasizes the value of including measures of central fat, like waist circumference, in standard preventive care.
To view the original scientific study click below:
Jackson Heart Study
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