You better keep an eye on your growing belly size or you may end up as a heart disease candidate. A new research study states that in comparison to body mass index, the belly size is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular diseases.
The U.S. study was conducted on people suffering from diabetes and the larger waist circumference was stated to be a more powerful indicator of heart disease of a dangerous kind, as compared to body mass index. The American College of Cardiology conference in Chicago released the details of the study that was conducted on 200 diabetics who had initially shown no indications of heart ailments. Complications in the heart’s left ventricle were noted in people with larger waists as compared to people with a small belly. The left ventricle is responsible for pumping blood enriched in oxygen to the brain and the whole body.
Boaz Rosen, a doctor working at Maryland’s Johns Hopkins University, the chief researcher of the study has claimed “We specifically found that waist circumference appears to be a stronger predictor for left ventricle dysfunction than total body weight or body mass index.” An apple shaped body where fat is collected on the belly has shown to have a strong link to high blood sugar levels, coronary heart disease, inflated cholesterol, and heart attacks. Earlier the main indicator of risk of heart disease was said to be a calculation of the height and weight of a person or BMI (Body Mass Index) now the focus is shifting to increased waist size as well.
Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City’s co-director of research, Brent Muhlestein, has stated “Our research examined patients with diabetes, who are considered high risk for developing heart disease already, and found that the shape of your body determined if you were at a greater risk to develop left ventricular dysfunction. This study confirms that having an apple-shaped body — or a high waist circumference — can lead to heart disease, and that reducing your waist size can reduce your risks.”
Congestive heart failure has been noted in patients who have shown complications in the working of the left ventricle. The researchers are now focused to see if large waisted people suffering from diabetes and heart complications develop arterial diseases and heart failure in future?
