Researchers at the University of Oxford have published the results of the largest study, which covered more than 2.5 million men. Conclusion - an increase in the waist circumference is directly related to the higher risk of premature death, in particular the prostate cancer.
According to doctor Sarah Kayat, an increase in waist by only 4 inches (approximately 10 cm) increases the risk of death from prostate cancer by 7%. Each year, 52,000 men get sick of this disease in Britain - this makes the findings of the study particularly significant.
It is about the so -called visceral fat, which accumulates around the internal organs and literally "envelops" them. Such fat disrupts metabolism and provokes inflammatory processes, which can subsequently lead to the development of cancer.
“Men are more prone to the“ apple ”body shape - when fat is deposited on the abdomen. This is especially dangerous, ”Kayat said.
However, the danger is threatened with women. According to another study of the University of Glasgow, which lasted 8 years and covered 40 thousand participants, women with high reserves of visceral fat have twice the risk of developing uterine cancer.
High levels of visceral fat are also associated with the increased risk of such diseases:
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gallbladder cancer
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Liver cancer
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colorectal cancer (colon and rectum)
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breast cancer
The simple test advised by Dr. Kayat: The circle of your waist should be less than half of height. For example, if your height is 170 cm, the waist circumference should not exceed 85 cm.
Despite the usual underestimation of visceral fat as a "just aesthetic problem", scientific data indicate a serious threat to health. Doctors advise to follow the waist not only for the sake of the figure - but also for the sake of a long life.
