Obesity
has been linked to several diseases. Obesity is typically measured by
body mass index or BMI. This is calculated by weight (kgs)/height2 (m2).
BMI less than 25 is considered ideal, 25-30 is overweight, 30-34.9 is
obese and 35-40 extreme obesity.
An article which put together results from 36 studies of heart disease patients who have undergone surgical procedures found that patients with lowest BMI had the highest risk of dying. In fact, obese (BMI 30-34.9) and extremely obese (BMI 35-40) patients had 27% and 22% lower chances of dying, respectively, than people with a normal BMI. This phenomenon is called the "obesity paradox". However, things are not as simple as they seem!
This is because BMI is an imperfect measurement since it does not differentiate between lean body mass (weight of the skeletal muscle) and body fat. When lean body mass was taken into account in another study involving more than 47,000 patients, higher lean body mass index or LMI (calculated as 1 - body fat * BMI) led to 29% lower death risk. Though high body fat showed increased survival, this effect disappeared when adjustments were made for lean body mass. The protective effect seen in obese persons was thus traced to higher lean body mass.
A study analysed data from 15,923 participants over an average of 2.3y and showed that waist circumference or tummy fat and waist-to-hip ratio (measures of "central obesity") led to greater risk of death due to heart disease. In fact, individuals with normal BMI but higher central obesity had greater risk of dying.
Dr. Sunip Banerjee (MBBS, MD, DM, FSCAI) Director of the Medica Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Mukundapur, Kolkata confirms, "In India, midline obesity or accumulation of tummy fat is a common risk factor for heart disease. Even slim individuals have tummy fat putting them at risk for diabetes and hypertension. These conditions can in turn lead to heart attack & stroke." He has also given some useful pointers to battle the bulge. "Getting rid of abdominal fat is not easy. Regular brisk walks and consumption of food which is low in carbohydrate and fat content with balanced protein intake helps in shaping the body. Eating 2 to 3 servings of fruits and leafy vegetables is also a compulsory requirement. Individuals with borderline high cholesterol and multiple risk factors should take a statin for better control," he says.
So next time you check your BMI, check your lean body mass and tummy fat too!
With contributions from: Dr. Sunip Banerjee, Director of the Medica Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Mukundapur, Kolkata
An article which put together results from 36 studies of heart disease patients who have undergone surgical procedures found that patients with lowest BMI had the highest risk of dying. In fact, obese (BMI 30-34.9) and extremely obese (BMI 35-40) patients had 27% and 22% lower chances of dying, respectively, than people with a normal BMI. This phenomenon is called the "obesity paradox". However, things are not as simple as they seem!
This is because BMI is an imperfect measurement since it does not differentiate between lean body mass (weight of the skeletal muscle) and body fat. When lean body mass was taken into account in another study involving more than 47,000 patients, higher lean body mass index or LMI (calculated as 1 - body fat * BMI) led to 29% lower death risk. Though high body fat showed increased survival, this effect disappeared when adjustments were made for lean body mass. The protective effect seen in obese persons was thus traced to higher lean body mass.
A study analysed data from 15,923 participants over an average of 2.3y and showed that waist circumference or tummy fat and waist-to-hip ratio (measures of "central obesity") led to greater risk of death due to heart disease. In fact, individuals with normal BMI but higher central obesity had greater risk of dying.
Dr. Sunip Banerjee (MBBS, MD, DM, FSCAI) Director of the Medica Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Mukundapur, Kolkata confirms, "In India, midline obesity or accumulation of tummy fat is a common risk factor for heart disease. Even slim individuals have tummy fat putting them at risk for diabetes and hypertension. These conditions can in turn lead to heart attack & stroke." He has also given some useful pointers to battle the bulge. "Getting rid of abdominal fat is not easy. Regular brisk walks and consumption of food which is low in carbohydrate and fat content with balanced protein intake helps in shaping the body. Eating 2 to 3 servings of fruits and leafy vegetables is also a compulsory requirement. Individuals with borderline high cholesterol and multiple risk factors should take a statin for better control," he says.
So next time you check your BMI, check your lean body mass and tummy fat too!
With contributions from: Dr. Sunip Banerjee, Director of the Medica Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Mukundapur, Kolkata
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