Are you a relatively thin person, but boast a bulbous beer belly? Turns out that being skinny-fat may actually be less healthy than being obese. New research discovered that having too much fat around the middle of the body greatly raises the risk for heart disease and death, even for those of normal weight. Time to cut down on the pizza and beer bros.
Nobody ever said that having a beer belly hanging over your stretched belt was an indicator of perfect health, but a new study suggests that it’s deadly. Researchers examined data of 15,184 men and women older than 18. The study in the Annals of Internal Medicine chronicled their lives for an average of more than 14 years. During that time period there were 1,404 deaths from cardiovascular diseases.
They found that having a pot belly or having a poor waist-to-hip ratio was a factor that was prevalent in many of the deaths. Waist-to-hip ratio is the measurement of the waist divided by hip measurement. The World Health Organization determines that a ratio higher than .90 for men or .85 for women defines central obesity. Those who had a round muffin-top were more likely to die from cardiovascular diseases even after taking smoking, history of heart attack or diabetes, race, poverty, blood lipid levels and other factors into consideration.
Researchers revealed that a man with a normal B.M.I., but with an abnormally large belly has an 87 percent higher risk for death than a man with the same B.M.I. and a normal waist-to-hip ratio. People with a large waist-to-hip ratio have a greater risk of diabetes, stroke, coronary heart disease and other cardiac problems.
Don’t laugh ladies because those of you who have a protruding paunch are closer to the grave as well. Women that have a normal B.M.I. and pot belly have a 48 percent higher risk of death than those with an average B.M.I. and no spare tire.
Even obese individuals who had a normal waist-to-hip ration had lower death rates than the poor skinny-fat fucks. Men with a spare tire have twice the mortality risk of people who are just overweight or obese. Scientists call this odd discovery the “obesity paradox,” in which obesity seems to protect against heart disease in some people.
Besides a proper diet and exercise, you should take a deep breath and chill the fuck out. Earlier studies found that individuals who are regularly stressed tend to have a disproportionate amount of belly fat. Time for a stress ball and yoga.
Looks like you should start right now to lose that gelatinous dad bod because it could be the death of you.
[CNN]