Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Being overweight has long been linked to heart conditions and type 2 diabetes, but even in people who appear thin. there may be dangerResearchers suggest.
A new study led by researchers at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, suggests there is such a thing as “thinning.”thick” – someone who appears to be healthy and slim But in reality there is fat hidden deep inside them Organ,
Conclusion, published in communication therapy, Suggests there may be hidden fat in the stomach and liver silently damages arteries,
This challenges the long-standing reliance on body-mass index (bmi) as a measure of obesity and provides the latest information on how hidden fat contributes to heart disease,
Visceral fat, which wraps around internal organs, and hepatic fat deposited in the liver are known to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease—but their effects on artery health are less known.
“This study shows that even after taking into account traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as cholesterol and blood pressure, visceral and liver fat still contribute to artery damage,” said co-lead author Russell de Souza.
“The findings are a warning to both physicians and the public.”
Being overweight can cause accumulation of fatty substances in the arteries. If the arteries that supply blood to the heart get blocked, it can lead to a heart attack.
But it’s not just fat under the skin that can cause problems – fat that accumulates around organs also affects the way the heart and blood vessels work.
Researchers used MRI imaging and data from more than 33,000 adults in the UK and Canada and found that visceral and liver fat are strongly linked to thickening and blockage of the carotid arteries in the neck. These arteries supply blood to the brain, and their narrowing is a major predictor of strokes and heart attacks.
Importantly, these associations persisted even after the researchers adjusted for lifestyle and metabolic risk factors.
“You can’t always tell by looking at someone whether they have visceral or liver fat,” said Sonia Anand, the study’s corresponding author and vascular medicine specialist.
“This type of fat is metabolically active and dangerous; it is linked to inflammation and artery damage even in people who are not obviously overweight. That’s why it is so important to rethink how we assess obesity and cardiovascular risk.”
The researchers suggest that since this fat is not visible and cannot be measured by BMI or waist circumference, doctors should consider using imaging-based assessments of fat distribution.
Alex Miras, professor of endocrinology at Ulster University, told Independent: “Visceral fat can cause coronary artery disease even in people with normal or near-normal BMI. It is more common in specific ethnic groups such as South Asians.”
Although this fat is not visible on the outside, it can be dealt with in the same way as overweight people – through diet and exercise or medication.
He added: “Any type of weight loss through behavioral intervention or obesity pharmacotherapy is likely to have a positive effect in reducing heart disease. They also need to aggressively treat their cholesterol and blood pressure.”