Rounder The Body, Greater The Risk Of Heart Attack And Stroke

Summary: BMI is a good predictor of the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, new studies show that abdominal/visceral fat is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events even if BMI values are within normal limits. Hence, researchers are increasingly focusing on the body roundness index (BRI). Quite like previous studies, this new study confirms that the rounder the body, the greater the risk of heart attack and stroke.

 A new study shows that the rounder the body, the greater the risk of heart attack and stroke. Researchers have been increasingly paying attention to body roundness index (BRI) in recent years.

It is no secret that obesity is associated with a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. However, these conditions may also occur in those who are not obese. Further, studies show that some ethnicities, like Asians, are more likely to develop cardiovascular issues, even when their body weight is not excessively high.

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When it comes to understanding the risk of metabolic disorders, BMI (body mass index) remains a golden standard. BMI uses a formula to calculate scores based on a person’s height and body weight. Although BMI is excellent at predicting the risk of metabolic disorders and its complications, but it is far from perfect.

For example, if a person has a BMI of 23, that is almost perfect. However, this does not mean that the person is metabolically healthy. BMI does not take into consideration the location of body fat accumulation. It does not take into consideration the amount of visceral or abdominal fat.

Many individuals have relatively normal body weight or BMI. However, they still have a large tummy or round-shaped abdomen due to high levels of visceral fats. High levels of abdominal fat are very harmful and are associated with much greater inflammation, dyslipidemia risk, and worse health outcomes. So, in recent years, researchers have started paying greater attention to BRI.

Numerous studies show that BRI is quite a good predictor of cardiovascular risk. It can reliably measure insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Now, one of the most extensive new studies confirms these findings from previous clinical studies.

This particular study was done in China with 9935 participants from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). In the study, BRI was measured from 2011 to 2016. Researchers then collected the data of participants regarding stroke and cardiac events like heart attacks.

They divided all participants into three categories depending on BRI. The first group had a low-stable BRI trajectory, the second moderately-stable, and the third a highly-stable BRI trajectory. They found that a moderate and highly stable BRI trajectory (which means increasing roundness or abdominal obesity) was associated with a 22% and 55% increased risk of cardiovascular events.

Simply said, the study found that the rounder and larger the belly, the greater the risk of heart attack and stroke. It shows that belly roundness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events.

Unlike BMI, BRI is better for estimating the risk of cardiovascular diseases and other metabolic disorders in specific population groups. It also helps assess the risk in those who are not grossly overweight or those who have normal body weight.

When it comes to racial groups, there are numerous studies showing that Asians like Chinese and South Asians are especially prone to central obesity or visceral fat accumulation. This is both due to genetics and dietary choices. This is why some nations and professional associations have revised their guidelines.

Just take an example of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) position statement, which says that South Asians above BMI 23 must be regarded as overweight or obese. In contrast, this cut-off level for people of European descent is 25.

Additionally, many professional organizations, including WHO, ADA, and AHA, are increasingly recommending the consideration of the roundness of the body by measuring the hip and waist ratio or using more advanced techniques like MRI scans to assess the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Source:

Yang, M., Liu, J., Shen, Q., Chen, H., Liu, Y., Wang, N., Yang, Z., Zhu, X., Zhang, S., Li, X., & Qian, Y. (n.d.). Body Roundness Index Trajectories and the Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease: Evidence From the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Journal of the American Heart Association, 0(0), e034768. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.124.034768