Middle-aged men who are carrying excess fat around their waistline are known to be at increased risk of having a heart attack compared to those with fat elsewhere on the body. Research suggests that abdominal fat may be more important with respect to predicting heart disease risk than overall obesity.
A new study measured 1,346 Finnish men aged 42 to 60 years and found that men with the highest waist-to-hip ratio had a nearly threefold risk of coronary events compared to men with lower waist-to-hip ratios. Waist-to-hip ratios are calculated by measuring the circumference of the waist and dividing it by the circumference of the hips.
During the 10-year study, the researchers found that abdominal obesity was more strongly associated with heart attack and chest pain than obesity in general or waist circumference.
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