Abdominal Fat Predicts Heart Disease

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A recent study from the Netherlands confirms that not only is overall obesity a risk factor for heart disease, but obese people who have more abdominal fat are at higher risk than those people who store excess fat in their hips and thighs.

Studies conclude that abdominal fat is also associated with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms that increases the risk for heart disease and diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed when someone has at least three of the following: abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low levels of high-density lipoprotein ("good") cholesterol, high blood pressure and increased levels of sugar in the blood.

Because of the important role of abdominal fat cell size in predicting diabetes and heart disease, studies indicate that a combination of exercise and dietary weight loss is more beneficial than weight loss alone.

Reference:
Beate G. Brouwer*, Frank L.J. Visseren, Ronald P. Stolk*, Yolanda van der Graaf* for the SMART Study Group
* Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care and
 Internal Medicine, Section of Vascular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.