English
Gamereactor
news

Hidden muscle fat could harm your heart, no matter your BMI

A new study highlights the dangers of intermuscular fat, shifting the focus from body weight to fat location.

Subscribe to our newsletter here!

* Required field
HQ

Fat hidden within your muscles might be more dangerous to your heart than you think, regardless of how much you weigh. According to a recent study (paper 1 and paper 2) published in the European Heart Journal, people with higher levels of this "intermuscular" fat were at greater risk of heart failure, heart attack, or death, even if their overall BMI was normal. By analysing nearly 700 patients, scientists found that this type of fat damages the small blood vessels in the heart, unlike fat stored under the skin, which posed no such risk. Researchers from Harvard Medical School suggest focusing on muscle health and fat distribution as new ways to tackle heart disease risks.

Should doctors start looking beyond BMI to measure true heart health?

Hidden muscle fat could harm your heart, no matter your BMI
Shutterstock

This post is tagged as:

ScienceHealth


Loading next content