Extra Fat in Different Areas of the Body Associated with Higher Risk of Heart Disease

“Photo” by PublicDomainPictures is licensed under CC0. Most of us may have some “problem areas” on our bodies that we want to fix. But new research shows that carrying extra weight on certain parts of your body may be more dangerous to your health than others. A recent study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that carrying extra belly fat, particularly in the gut area, often referred to as a “spare tire,” causes a person to have a higher risk of heart disease, especially when compared to the heart disease risk for a person’s fat elsewhere, like in the hips, often called “love handles.” Reasons for this higher risk are not entirely known yet, but Dr. Greg Fonarow, cardiology professor at University of California, Los Angeles explained to MedlinePlus that belly fat is known to be associated with abnormalities like high triglyceride levels, low levels of HDL (good cholesterol), high blood pressure and risk of diabetes. It’s important to stress, however, that there is no definitive proof that belly fat causes heart disease, only that there is a higher risk associated with it. To read more about fat and heart disease, visit “‘Spare Tires’ May Be Tougher on Your Heart Than ‘Love Handles.’” Follow NN/LM SCR on Twitter and like us on Facebook.    
Source: Network News - Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Tags: Consumer Health General (all entries) Source Type: news