A report on the latest issue of Archives of Internal Medicine indicate that people with large waist circumference appear to have a higher risk of dying from a variety of ailments over a nine-year period, including type 2 diabetes. Apart from diabetes, having a larger waist line has been associated with inflammation, insulin resistance, abnormal cholesterol levels, and heart disease.
Scientists have theorized that the cause of this is probably due to a strong correlation with fat tissue that surround the organs in the abdomen, which is thought to be more dangerous than the fat layer under the skin.
Researchers at the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, led by Eric J. Jacobs, Ph.D., examined the link between waist circumference and risk of death among 48.500 men and 56, 343 women age 50 and older. The participants completed a mailed questionnaire about demographic, medical, and behavioral factors in 1992 or 1993, as well as weight and waist circumference in 1997.
After the data have been gathered, the researchers have taken notes of participants who have died until December 31, 2006, as well as the causes of death. A total of 9,315 men and 5,332 women died during that time period.
The study showed that people with very large waists (more than 47 inches or 120 centimeters in men, more than 42 inches or 110 centimeters in women) were associated with about twice the risk of death. A larger waist was associated not only to overweight and obese people, but also those with normal weight. What surprised the researchers was that bigger waists were more common among participants who have normal weight.
The authors suggest that guidelines for obesity should be rewritten, not only targeting people with higher Body Mass Index rate or heavier weights, but also for people who are “abdominally obese” (with waist circumference of 102 centimeters or larger in men and 88 centimeters or larger in women) as well.
Source: Science Daily
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