Heart Health
Research we're watching: Belly fat linked to heart disease and cancer
Belly fat is even worse for us than we'd thought, finds a new study led by Dr. Caroline Fox, associate clinical professor of medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Writing in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Dr. Fox's team reported that after they accounted for other risk factors, belly fat greatly increased a person's risk of heart disease. More than average amounts of belly fat increased the risk of heart disease by 44% and the risk of cancer by 43%. Those with extremely high belly fat had an even greater risk.
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