Waist size linked to death risk

BOSTON, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Research suggests a large waistline doubles the risk of dying prematurely, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine said.

Researchers from Imperial College London and the German Institute of Human Nutrition said a study of more than 350,000 Europeans found "strong evidence that storing excess fat around the waist poses a significant health risk, even in people not considered to be overweight or obese."

The report said doctors should measure a patient's waistline and hips as well as body mass during routine checkups.

Men with waists larger than 47.2 inches and women with waists larger than 39.4 inches were at twice the risk of premature death than men with waists less than 31.5 inches or women with waists of less than 25.6 inches.

Researchers said fatty tissue around the waistline area secretes cytokines, hormones and metabolically active compounds that can contribute to the development of chronic health problems such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers, Imperial College said in a release.