How a large waistline takes years off your life

Published on Monday 9 August 2010 15:39

A FAT belly can be fatal, a study involving thousands of men and women has revealed.

Scientists found that having a large waistline doubled the likelihood of an early grave.

Being thick around the middle was already known to be linked to inflammation, insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, abnormal cholesterol levels and heart disease.

The new research confirmed how dangerous this can be, showing that it dramatically increased the risk of dying from any cause over a nine-year period.

A US team compared waist circumference and death rates in a population of 48,500 men and 56,343 women aged 50 and older.

All had participated in a large cancer study which asked them to provide information about weight and waistlines.

Deaths among the participants and their causes were tracked for a total of nine years.

The results, published today in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, showed having a very large waist roughly doubled the risk of death during the study period for both men and women.

The pattern was seen in men with a waist circumference of 47 inches or more, and women measuring at least 42 inches around the middle.

This was after making adjustments to take account of body mass index (BMI) - a standard measurement relating weight and height - and other risk factors. Surprisingly, in women the link was strongest for individuals with a normal BMI who nonetheless had a large waistline.

Waistline fat, or adipose tissue, that accumulates around vital organs is believed to produce especially harmful changes in the body.

The findings could affect future guidelines for obesity, say the scientists.

Currently, people with a BMI of 30 or above are defined as clinically obese and at risk of harming their health.