Fat around belly deadlier than being obese

Researchers found that normal-weight adults with central obesity have the worst long-term survival rate compared with any group, regardless of BMI.

 New York: People who carry fat around their belly, even if they are thin, have a greater mortality risk than those who are overweight or obese but have normal fat distribution, according to a study.

Researchers examined data from a large group of Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) participants to compare the total and cardio-vascular mortality risks with different combinations of body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratios (WHR).

They found that normal-weight adults with central obesity have the worst long-term survival rate compared with any group, regardless of BMI.

The data showed that a normal-weight person with central obesity had twice the mortality risk of participants who were overweight or obese according to BMI only.

The article was published in Annals of Internal Medicine.