Larger Waist Equals Shorter Life

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that higher mortality risk was linked to waist circumference regardless of BMI. A review found men with waists 43 inches or greater in circumference had a 50% higher mortality risk than men with waists less than 35 inches, and this translated to about a three-year lower life expectancy after age 40. Women with a waist circumference of 37 inches or greater had about an 80% higher mortality risk than women with a waist circumference of 27 inches or less, and this translated to about a five-year lower life expectancy after age 40. Elevated mortality risk with increasing waist circumference was observed at all levels of BMI, even among people who had normal BMI levels. Journal Mayo Clinic, Feb 2014