Body fat distribution as important as BMI in predicting future health risks, new study suggests
Researchers have found that how fat accumulates in the body is just as important for identifying different health risks as a person’s overall weight. By measuring fat distribution across the body, including in and around major organs, doctors may be able to better identify individuals at higher risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart failure, and therefore provide better personalised support and treatment.
Supported by the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre’s at Oxford and Barts, the new study utilised detailed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from almost 25,000 UK Biobank participants.
The research team found six distinct patterns of fat build-up across various organs and areas of the body, including the liver, pancreas, heart, muscles and abdominal compartments. These patterns were linked to differences in body composition and heart structure.
Participants were followed for an average of almost five years after their MRI scans, allowing the researchers to investigate how these different patterns of body fat related to future cardiovascular disease.
For example, people in the pancreatic fat-dominant group had a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease and heart failure, even after accounting for their Body Mass Index (BMI).
Dr Zahra Raisi-Estabragh, Honorary Consultant Cardiologist at St Bartholomew's Hospital and Senior Clinical Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London and senior author of the study, added:
Our findings show that not all body fat carries the same risk. Where fat is stored appears to be particularly important for heart health, with fat around the abdominal organs showing the strongest link to accelerated biological ageing of the heart and future cardiovascular disease.
BMI remains a useful and practical measure, but it cannot tell us how fat is distributed throughout the body. Our findings suggest that looking beyond BMI could help us better understand why some people develop cardiovascular disease while others with a similar body weight do not.
The study was published in the European Heart Journal and presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Munich.