iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
New research reveals that individuals with significant fat deposits within their muscles face a heightened risk of experiencing heart attacks, heart failure, or even death, regardless of their Body Mass Index (BMI).
This groundbreaking study, led by Professor Viviany Taqueti from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, marks the first comprehensive investigation into the impact of intramuscular fat on cardiovascular health.
The findings underscore the limitations of existing metrics like BMI and waist circumference in accurately assessing heart disease risk across all individuals.
“Obesity is now one of the biggest global threats to cardiovascular health, yet body mass index — our main metric for defining obesity and thresholds for intervention — remains a controversial and flawed marker of cardiovascular prognosis. This is especially true in women, where high body mass index may reflect more ‘benign’ types of fat,” emphasized Professor Taqueti.
“Intermuscular fat can be found in most muscles in the body, but the amount of fat can vary widely between different people. In our research, we analyse muscle and different types of fat to understand how body composition can influence the small blood vessels or ‘microcirculation’ of the heart, as well as future risk of heart failure, heart attack and death,” she explained.
The study encompassed 669 individuals undergoing evaluation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for chest pain and/or shortness of breath, with no evidence of obstructive coronary artery disease. Patients were followed up for approximately six years, with researchers meticulously recording instances of death or hospitalization due to heart attack or heart failure.
The findings revealed a strong correlation between higher levels of intramuscular fat and an increased likelihood of coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD), a condition characterized by damage to the heart’s tiny blood vessels. Furthermore, individuals with higher intramuscular fat levels exhibited a significantly increased risk of experiencing fatal or hospital-requiring heart events.
This research highlights the critical need for a more nuanced understanding of body composition and its impact on cardiovascular health.
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