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# Growing Waistline Increases Mortality - at Any Weight
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/growing_waist_line_increases_mortality-_at_any_rate_081120100630/
- Published: 2010-08-11T19:28:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T15:52:25.000Z
- Description: In a large study in the August 2010 Archives of Internal Medicine, a larger waist was linked to higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and cancer at every level of body mass index, in men and women alike, including people who are not overweight.
- Author: Rachel Stockton
- Tags: Obesity, Avoiding Illness, Death, Waistline, #vivvo-import

Growing Waistline Increases Mortality - At Any Weight

Need to let that belt out another notch? Feeling like your clothes are all shrinking at the waist? The bathroom scales show that you haven't gained weight and you aren't even overweight, so what's the problem?

The problem is that one of the largest studies to date examining the health dangers and increased health risks of "belly fat" reveals that waist size is directly linked to heart disease, asthma, breast cancer, dementia and alzheimers.

The association between larger waist size and increased risk for premature death from cardiovascular and respiratory disease and cancer is an 'equal opportunity' factor for both men and women.

Americans have been told for decades that obesity brings with it increased health risks which can lead to early death, however an interesting fact in this study is that a flabby mid-section increases health risks in those with an acceptable body mass index (BMI), those who are not obese, and those who are not even overweight.

"A larger waist size was found to be linked to a higher risk for dying from cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and cancer at every measure of body mass index," noted study author Eric J. Jacobs, an epidemiologist with the American Cancer Society in Atlanta.

Previous studies have revealed a relationship between large waist circumference and a myriad of health problems including diabetes and heart disease independent of BMI and overall weight. The study reported in the August 2010 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, specifically explored the association between waist circumference and a generally higher risk for death.

In one of the largest efforts ever launched to examine any linkage between waist size and mortality, the team, comprised of participants from the Epidemiology Research Program and the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, Georgia, considered data concerning about 56,000 women and 48,500 men who had participated in a large national cancer study.

Patients, with a group average age of 67-69, had completed health questionnaires concerning their medical histories in 1992/1993\. Weight and waist sizes were recorded in 1997\. Morbidity among participants was tracked until the end of 2006, at which time about 5,300 women and 9,300 women had died. Risk factors for poor health such as smoking and alcohol use were considered by researchers.

The risk for death was doubled for women with a waist size of 42 inches or more when compared to women with the lowest waist size. Similarly, men with a waist size of 47 inches or more were shown to have the same increased risk. These risks were consistent whether the participants were of normal weight, overweight or obese.

Authors noted, "women of normal weight who nonetheless carried excess weight in their waist area appeared to be most vulnerable to the large waist-death risk association." While they are not yet able to explain the underlying cause for the higher risk in some women, they feel the findings could lead to more cautionary recommendations specific to abdominal obesity.

"Even if your weight is considered normal for your height, keeping your waist size is important for your health," Jacobs said. "So if you notice your waist size increasing over time, it's time to start eating better and exercising more."

With respect to women, Connie Diekman, director of nutrition for Washington University in St. Louis, says, "It's not totally a surprise, because menopausal women tend to store body fat in the abdominal area. Without the estrogen, our curves shift, so this study really shows what we've long seen with women's increased risk for heart disease in the postmenopausal years, and indicates that it's an overall increased risk of death because of body fat."

Some scientists believe belly fat secretes proteins and hormones contributing to inflammation and interference with how the body processes insulin and raising cholesterol, meaning that fat stored behind the abdominal wall may be more harmful than fat stored on the hips and thighs.

Waist circumference has also been found to be linked to migraines in women and men as well as shinkage in brain volume, better known as dementia.

Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, could be a warning of physical illnesses/diseases that have no other obvious symptoms such as:  
 \*High Blood Pressure  
 \*High Cholestrol  
 \*High Blood Sugar  
 \*High Triglycerides  
 \*Hormonal Imbalance  
All of these conditions are risk factors for blood vesssel and heart disease, causes for heart attacks and strokes; diabetes which can cause among other things, loss of limbs, loss of sight and neuropathy; metabolic syndrome, a combination of the above risk factors which sets the stage for grave problems.

Don't despair, you can lose that spare tire, but there's no secret formula. WebMD experts say.

"There is no magic bullet, diet plan, specific food, or type of exercise that specifically targets belly fat. But the good news is belly fat is the first kind of fat you tend to lose when you lose weight," says Michael Jensen, MD, a Mayo Clinic endocrinology specialist and obesity researcher.

Whether you're an "apple" shape with excess belly fat, or a "pear" with wide hips and thighs, when you lose weight, you'll most likely lose proportionately more from the abdominal region than elsewhere.

"Ninety-nine percent of people who lose weight will lose it in the abdominal region before anywhere else -- and will lose proportionately more weight from the upper body," says Jensen, also a professor of medicine.

And why is that? "Visceral fat, the kind tucked deep inside your waistline, is more metabolically active and easier to lose than subcutaneous fat under the skin, especially if you have plenty of it," explains Penn State researcher Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD.

Most scientific evidence suggests that a calorie-controlled diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, beans, nuts, seeds, lean meat, fish, eggs, and poultry is the foundation for a diet that provides all the nutrients you need while helping to whittle your waistline.

The real secret to losing belly fat according to Georgia State University nutrition professor, Christine Rosenbloom, PhD, RD., is, "you must eat a healthy, controlled-calorie diet and get regular exercise -- around 60 minutes a day of moderate activity, like brisk walking."

Get a soft tape measure, lie down and wrap it around your natural waistline, located above your hip bone and below your belly button to assess your risk. Take the measurement without holding your breath or holding your stomach in. 

Keep in mind that the guidelines for women is 35 inches and 40 inches for men. If your measurement is larger than that, you are at risk, and one of the best things you can do for your health is to lose weight.

Laura Lamp King