Weight gain can be detrimental to your overall health and may lead to several serious complications. But did you know that how your weight is distributed in your body can make a big difference? Fat accumulation in certain areas can make you more vulnerable to serious health risks, as it can adversely affect vital organs and increase the chances of developing chronic conditions.
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Dr Pankaj Puri, director- gastroenterology at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Okhla, shared with HT Lifestyle in an interview that the liver and heart become most vulnerable when fat accumulates around the waist.
“For decades, weight & BMI have been considered a marker for health. However, waist circumference & waist to hip ratio have proven to be important predictors of coronary heart disease & metabolic associated liver disease,” he explained how the health risk indicators are changing nowadays.
Why is waist fat harmful?
The fat that develops around the waist is called visceral fat, which the doctor cautioned is quite alarming, especially for internal organs.
Differentiating the two types of fat and why visceral fat is more dangerous, the gastroentrologist elaborated, “While subcutaneous fat is a cosmetic concern, visceral fat, which is accumulated deep in the abdominal cavity, is a more concerning indicator for heart diseases & fatty liver disease.”
He also disclosed thatBody Mass Index (BMI) can be misleading, as individuals with a normal BMI may have high visceral fat and liver fat content, known as “skinny fat”.
How to measure your risk?
You can measure your risk by checking the waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. But how do you measure the risk? “The technique for measuring waist circumference is to measure with tape, halfway between the lower ribs and the iliac crest,” Dr Puri revealed how to measure your waist circumference.
Now that you have measured your waist circumference, it is time to check which category you fall into and whether it indicates a healthy range. The gastroentrologist shared how the WHO classifies health risk with waist circumference in the Asian population. Check your measurement with these cut-offs, as they can help you find out if you are at risk of coronary artery disease and metabolic syndrome.
If you are gaining weight around the waist, take it seriously as it is not only a sign of obesity, but as the gastroentrologist pointed out, it is also a major predictor of the risk of fatty liver disease and coronary artery disease. High time you measure your waist circumference at home and aim to lose weight from that region for a better heart and liver disease.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
