A
Big Waist + Diabetes = Bigger Risk of Stroke
Losing
Girth and Weight Shrinks Many Health Problems
Too
much body fat puts people at high risk of heart disease, diabetes,
and cancer -- we know that. Now, it seems that extra girth in your
stomach may mean a stroke, according to a study presented last
week at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology.
In
it, researchers analyzed more than 570 stroke victims, and
compared them with more than 1,100 people who didn't have a
stroke. They looked at the waist-to-hip ratio -- how big their
waist is relative to their hips. The stroke group had the biggest
waist-to-hip ratio -- the biggest bellies.
Waist-to-hip
ratio may be a critical indicator of stroke risk, says study
author Seung-Han Suk, MD, of Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center
in New York, in a news release.
People
should be educated about the waist-to-hip ratio factor -- as well
as general weight management -- in stroke prevention programs, he
says.
Did
You Know:
Of
the 16 million Americans living with diabetes today, three-fourths
will develop cardiovascular disease. CDC
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