Could Waist Circumference be a Better Predictor of Death Risk than BMI? Study

Though body mass index (BMI) can certainly be a good indicator of a healthy weight to height relationship, a recent study shows that this obesity measurement may not be as necessary to determine overall health and lifespan. A recent study suggests that measuring people's belly circumference may work as a better indictor for these future predictions.

For the study, researchers reviewed data from 11 previous studies that involved over 600,000 participants throughout the world. All participants were between the age of 20 and 83 and had enrolled in the studies since January 1, 1986 to December 31, 2000.  

The participants were then tracked for an average of nine years, at which time, 78,268 of them had died during the follow-up portion of the study. Researchers received data regarding their waist circumference measurements, including lung complications, heart disease and cancer information.

Findings showed that for men, a waist size of 43 inches or longer equaled a 50 percent increased risk of death in comparison to men who had a waist size of 35 inches or smaller.

Life expectancy showed that after hitting the 40 year mark, a larger waist circumference decreased life expectancy by three years.

The researchers also found that a waist span of 37 inches or longer in women increased an 80 percent chance of death in comparison to those with a smaller circumference. After the age of 40, this risk translated to a five-year shorter lifespan for women with larger waists, as well.

In fact, researchers concluded that for every two inche increase in waist size, there was a seven percent increased risk of death for men and a nine percent increased risk of death for women.

"BMI is not a perfect measure," said study lead author Dr. James Cerhan, an epidemiologist at the Mayo Clinic, according to Philly. "It doesn't discriminate lean mass from fat mass, and it also doesn't say anything about where your weight is located. We worry about that because extra fat in your belly has a metabolic profile that is associated with diseases such as diabetes and heart disease."

What do you think?

More information regarding the study can be found via the study "A Pooled Analysis of Waist Circumference and Mortality in 650,000 Adults," which was published in the journal, Mayo Clinic Proceedings.