An international group of scientists from Canada and Iran found that a large belly was a predictor of imminent death, even with normal weight. The conclusions of the specialists are published in the British Medical Journal.
The researchers analyzed 72 scientific studies that examined the relationship between the rate of premature mortality and various factors and external signs, including central obesity, characterized by excess body fat in the abdomen. A total of 2.5 million people were reached. Indicators such as waist and hip circumference, waist-to-hip and height ratio, obesity index and body shape index were considered.
Scientists have found a J-shaped relationship between the risk of premature death in men and women on waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio. A direct relationship was observed for the waist-to-hip ratio and body shape index, and a U-shaped relationship was found for the obesity index.
The study results suggest that central obesity scores can be used in conjunction with body mass index as a complementary method for determining the risk of premature death.
