Abdominal Fat Outshines BMI as Heart-Risk Predictor, Study Finds
A large study of nearly 260,000 adults followed for about 20 years found that waist measurements and waist-to-hip ratio better identify cardiovascular risk than BMI, with abdominal/visceral fat linked to higher rates of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and death—even among those with normal or overweight BMI. The findings suggest BMI alone misses important risk factors related to fat distribution, though the study is limited by a single measurement and lack of data on activity, diet, or genetics. The takeaway is to consider where fat is stored, not just how much, when assessing heart health.
