Women With Apple Shaped Figure More Prone To Heart Attack: Study

A new study from University of Oxford has said that women with apple shaped figures are at particular risk of heart attack. The study surveyed 500,000 people. It showed that in both sexes, the waist-to-hip ratio is a better predictor of heart attacks than general obesity.

Bigger waists and higher waist to hip and waist-to-height ratios in women were 10 per cent to 20 per cent more strongly linked to the risk of heart attack than a high BMI.

“Our findings show that looking at how fat tissue is distributed in the body -- especially in women -- can give us more insight into the risk of heart attack than measures of general obesity,” said Sanne Peters of the George Institute, Oxford, who led the study

“Our findings also suggest that differences in the way women and men store fat may affect their risk of heart disease. Understanding the role sex differences in body fat distribution play in future health problems could lead to sex-specific public-health interventions that could address the global obesity epidemic more effectively.”

Beware of fat around abdomen

The study says that even among slim women, carrying fat around the abdomen makes them more likely at risk from suffering a cardiovascular event.

According to the WHO, more than 40 per cent of women and 39 per cent of men are carrying too much weight.

Health Tip: Mediterranean foods are the best for reducing internal fat storage. Eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit and nuts significantly reduces people’s waist circumferences

Recently a study showed that heart attack symptoms aren't taken seriously in women

A recent study has found that women who suffer from symptoms of heart attack are more likely to be dismissed by doctors than men are. Young women who report heart attack symptoms such as indigestion, shortness of breath, palpitations or pain in the jaw, neck or arms are sometimes not diagnosed with heart attack. They are more likely to report these associated symptoms of heart attack than men are. Both men and women report chest pain, pressure, tightness and discomfort as their main heart attack symptoms.

Also Read: Risk of Heart Attacks in Women: What’s the biggest reason?