An enlarged abdomen, waist circumference, and body fat distribution can provide more useful information about heart health.

Researchers from the Cross-Cohort Collaboration reviewed data from nearly 260,000 people in 15 long-term clinical studies, followed for nearly 20 years.

According to findings published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, some people who fell into the normal weight or overweight category based on BMI had significantly more belly fat.

The researchers concluded that people who had an enlarged stomach, or a larger waist circumference, had a 15 to 50 percent higher risk of various cardiovascular diseases and death in general.

BMI does not fully reflect the risk of belly fat

According to experts, BMI only compares a person’s weight and height, but does not tell where fat is stored in the body.

In the inner abdomen, fat that accumulates around the internal organs can be particularly harmful. It has been linked to inflammation in the body, insulin resistance and damage to blood vessels.

Measuring body fat distribution may provide a more comprehensive assessment of heart disease risk than relying on BMI alone, researchers say.

A review of various cardiovascular diseases in research

The study examined various cardiovascular outcomes, including heart attack, stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation and death from cardiovascular disease.

The results show that even people with a relatively healthy BMI may be at risk for cardiovascular disease if they have excess abdominal fat.

The researchers also clarified the limitations of the study

The researchers also acknowledged some limitations of the study, in that they did not have complete information about the participants’ physical activity, diet and genetic risk factors for obesity.

So the research couldn’t fully determine how changes in belly fat over time might affect heart disease risk.

Note: This article is published for the information of readers, follow your physician’s advice on health related matters.