Recent Blog Articles

Drug recalls are common

Easy ways to shop for healthful, cost-conscious foods

Prostate cancer in transgender women

Why eat lower on the seafood chain?

Can long COVID affect the gut?

When replenishing fluids, does milk beat water?

Safe, joyful movement for people of all weights

Slowing down racing thoughts

Are women turning to cannabis for menopause symptom relief?

3 ways to create community and counter loneliness
Heart Health
Belly fat boosts risk of dying of heart disease
Research we're watching
Even if you're not overweight, having a large belly raises your risk of dying of heart disease, a new study suggests.
To explore factors linked to early death, researchers relied on body measurements and other health information gleaned from more than 15,000 adults who took part in a national health survey. The average follow-up period was 14 years.
They found that normal-weight people with a "spare tire" (known as central or abdominal obesity) had a higher risk of dying of heart disease or any other cause compared with people without central obesity, regardless of whether they were normal weight, overweight, or obese. The results, published in the Dec. 15, 2015, Annals of Internal Medicine, suggest that people with central obesity—even if they're not overweight—may benefit from lifestyle changes to prevent heart disease, such as exercise and eating a healthy, plant-based diet.
Central obesity is defined as having a waist-to-hip ratio of greater than 1.0 for men or greater than 0.9 for women. To calculate yours, measure around your waist (just above your belly button) and your hips (around the widest part of your buttocks) and divide the first number by the second.
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!