健康英语新闻:Apple-shaped obesity may not have higher heart attack risk

BEIJING, March 11(Xinhuanet)-- People with more fat around their waist, often known as “apple shape”, may not have a greater risk of heart attack than those with fatter bottoms and hips, according to a new study published in Lancet as quotted by media reports Friday.

This study funded by the Medical Research Council and British Heart Foundation, reviewed 220,000 individual records from 17 countries and monitored the occurrence of heart attacks or strokes based on body mass index (BMI) versus waist-hip circumference.

It found that people with "apple-shaped" obesity were at a higher risk of having heart risks compared to those with general obesity as assessed by their BMI. 

This contradicts previous claims that "apple shaped" bodies were three times more likely to suffer heart attacks than those with more generally distributed fat.

But experts warn obesity is still bad for the heart, no matter where the fat is, and they argue there is confusion about the best way to measure it.

"Regardless of how you measure it, being obese is bad for your heart. This study suggests that measuring your waist is no better than calculating your BMI but it's not time to throw away the tape measure just yet, “Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation said.

"We tend to underestimate our body shape and size, so measuring our waist or checking our BMI are both quick and easy ways we can check our health at home."

Besides, he also listed some other heart risk factors that we need to think about too, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and smoking.