The most dangerous place to gain weight revealed
If you’ve put on a few extra kilos over the Christmas break, it might not be as bad as you think. A new study suggests that while overall weight gain should be avoided, there is one area that is potentially deadly to carry weight: your hips.
Researchers from Mayo Clinic found that a “spare tyre” around the middle of an average-size person is far more dangerous than being fat all over. It might seem counterintuitive, but the results were startling.
Scientists analysed over 15,000 middle-aged men and women over a period of 14 years. Those who fell within a normal weight range but had a bulging mid-section had a worse survival rate than participants who were officially classified as overweight or obese.
What’s more, men in this category were twice as much at risk of death. Women who carried extra weight on their hips saw a slightly less extreme result, but still clocked a 40 per cent rise in risk of death.
"Our analyses ... show that normal-weight 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,” explained Dr Francisco Lopez-Jiminez in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
"Our findings suggest that persons with normal-weight central obesity may represent an important target population for lifestyle modification and other preventive strategies,” he added.
Researchers point out that muffin tops were associated with more “visceral” fat around the internal organs, which is particularly harmful to health. It has been associated with insulin resistance and high levels of cholesterol.
So, what’s the take-home? No form of weight gain is good, but pay particular attention to excess weight around your waist.
Related links:
Common health mistakes women make after 60
Study reveals the one time vegetarians eat meat