A study led by Mayo Clinic cardiologist Francisco Lopez-Jimenez has found out that big-bellied males who are of normal weight have twice the mortality rate of males who are obese. Also, women of normal weight with big bellies were 32% more likely to pass away from heart disease than obese women.

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The study was undertaken for 14 years and involved 15,000 participants.

Looking at a person's BMI does not give a fill picture of his or her risk of heart disease; rather, a person's risk profile is defined by whether or not their body fat is spread all over the body or concentrated in the stomach.

As defined by the World Health Organization, a big belly, referred to as "central obesity", for men is in cases where the waist-hip ratio is 0.9 or more. In women, it is defined as a ratio of 0.85 or more.

According to Lopez-Jimenez, "The fat around the belly might look the same under the microscope as fat from the arms or legs, but it's much more active."

In as much as there are "good" and "bad" types of cholesterol, there are different kinds of fat, and Lopez-Jimenez pointed out that belly fat is especially risky because it is fat that is deposited in the liver. Fat in the liver creates inflammation, which in turn, contributes to heart disease and diabetes.

On the other hand, Lopez-Jimenez shared that they discovered that fat which is deposited on the buttocks and legs seem to offer some protection for the heart. They are unsure why this is the case.

Tagsbelly fat, obesity, Heart failure, heart attack