Larger Waist Associated with Greater Risk of Death

Larger Waist Associated with Greater Risk of Death: A new study found that those with a larger waist size are more likely are at greater risk of dying from any cause over a nine-year period. Eric J. Jacobs, Ph.D., and colleagues at the American Cancer Society, Atlanta, examined the association between waist circumference and risk of death among 48,500 men and 56,343 women ages 50 years and older. After adjusting for body mass index and other risk factors, very large waists (120 centimeters or 47 inches or larger in men, and 110 centimeters or 42 inches or larger in women) were associated with approximately twice the risk of death during the study period. A larger waist was associated with higher risk of death across all categories of BMI, including normal weight, overweight and obese; however, among women, the association was strongest for those at a normal weight. Archives of Internal Medicine, Aug 2010