'Spare tyre' worse for overall health than being obese, study finds

Spare tyre: Having excess fat around the waist could cause health problems like high cholesterol
Dominic Lipinski / PA
Laura Proto10 November 2015

A bulging waistline is more dangerous than being fat all over, a new study has found.

According to scientists in America, individuals who are a normal weight but carry a spare tyre have a worse survival record than those classified as overweight or obese.

The study, which analysed data of 15,184 men and women with an average age of 45 over a 14-year period, found men with a large waist were twice as likely to die that those with an overweight or obese body mass index (BMI).

Women with expanding waistlines were less likely to be affected than men, but their risk of death was still increased by up to 40 per cent.

Dr Francisco Lopez-Jiminez, from the Mayo Clinic, wrote in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine that the research shows “that normal-weight US adults with central obesity have the worst long-term survival compared with participants with normal fat distribution, regardless of BMI category, even after adjustment for potential mediators.”

He added: “Our findings suggest that persons with normal-weight central obesity may represent an important target population for lifestyle modification and other preventive strategies.

“Future studies should focus on identifying factors associated with the development of normal-weight central obesity and better understanding the effect of normal-weight central obesity on health outcomes.”

A spare tyre is usually the accumulation of visceral fat around internal organs and excess fat can cause high cholesterol, high levels of blood fats and inflammation.

Christopher Allen, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "We all know that watching our weight is important, but often it's forgotten that where you carry the weight makes a difference too.

“Having more fat around your middle can lead to Type 2 diabetes, which greatly increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke, but there is lots you can do to get rid of this excess weight and lower your risk.

"Keeping physically active and eating a healthy, balanced diet will help control your weight and reduce your risk of diabetes and heart and circulatory diseases.”

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