a high-risk group because of other risk factors, such as percentage of body fat, might still believe they’re “healthy.”
Another expert, Dr. Guy Mintz, said, “This study serves as a wake-up call to physicians to not be satisfied with just a BMI, but to look at fat distribution and waist circumference.” In doing so, doctors can spot “a group of patients that might be otherwise overlooked,” he noted.
And, “once central obesity is identified, patient education is essential to change diet, exercise and flatten our abdomens,” said Mintz, who directs cardiovascular health at Northwell Health’s Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.
Mintz added that, “while the article looked at an older female population, I personally feel it holds true in younger patients as well.”
How could the accumulation of fat around the tummy increase early death risk? According to Mintz, this type of “visceral” fat is closely tied to chronic inflammation, the excess production of
