Waist Size vs BMI in Predicting Risk
Researchers reported that higher levels of visceral fat were more closely associated with heart failure risk than overall body weight. Larger waist measurements were linked to increased risk even among individuals whose body mass index BMI fell within a normal range.
The results indicate that fat distribution may play a more important role than total weight. Inflammation appears to be a key factor that helps explain why fat stored around the abdomen is particularly harmful to the heart. These findings suggest that measuring waist size could improve how clinicians identify people at higher risk, rather than relying on BMI alone.
“This research helps us understand why some people develop heart failure despite having a body weight that seems healthy,” said Szu-Han Chen, lead author of the study and a medical student at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan. “By monitoring waist size and inflammation, clinicians may be able to identify people with higher risk earlier and focus on prevention strategies that could reduce the chance of heart failure before symptoms begin.”
Inflammation as a Key Driver
A 2025 scientific statement from the American Heart Association on risk-based primary prevention of heart failure emphasizes that systemic inflammation, or inflammation throughout the body, is a major contributor to heart disease. It can interfere with the immune system, damage blood vessels, and promote the formation of scar tissue in the heart. The Association has also pointed to evidence that higher inflammation levels are linked to greater heart disease risk, even in people with normal cholesterol.
