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Belly Fat Linked to Greater Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death

Belly Fat Linked to Greater Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death
Distinctly different than suffering from a “heart attack” which generally involves a blockage of coronary arteries, the phenomenon known as Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) involves the immediate stoppage of the heart due to malfunctioning of the electrical activity of the heart. This kills approximately 300,000 people per year.
Distinctly different than suffering from a “heart attack” which generally involves a blockage of coronary arteries, the phenomenon known as Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) involves the immediate stoppage of the heart due to malfunctioning of the electrical activity of the heart. This kills approximately 300,000 people per year in the United States.
It has long been known that an enlarged belly, medically known as “central obesity” confers an increased risk of coronary artery disease. And it  has also been shown that obesity in general raises the risk of Sudden Cardiac Death.  Now a  study just released  looked at the risk of SCD as it relates specifically to “central obesity”, which is suspected of being even more unhealthy than obesity in general. Indeed ,they found that this body type does cause a greater risk of SCD than the increased risk of obesity itself.
 The study included 15,000 men and women between 45 and 64 years of age,  who were participating in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, which has been tracking coronary artery disease risk since 1987.This study showed that  people with the largest waists and hips double their risk of Sudden Cardiac Death. It was published in the medical journal “Heart” with the title- Obesity Related Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.
This is one of so many studies that tell us that having a healthy lifestyle, maintaining a proper weight can save your life. And it is a particular reminder to those whose body type is to have a particularly enlarged belly, it puts them at even greater risk.

 

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