Scientists have discovered a serious danger of belly fat in men

Researchers from Lund University concluded that in men, a larger waist circumference correlates more strongly with the risk of developing cancer than in women.

As reported by BAKU.WS, the results of the work were published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI).

The study involved 339,190 Swedish residents who underwent medical examinations with measurements of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference between 1981 and 2019. The average age of the subjects was 51.4 years. For 14 years, scientists tracked the development of cancer among the participants.

It was found that in men, an increase in waist circumference by 11 cm increased the risk of obesity-related cancer by 25%. An increase in body mass index also increased the likelihood of cancer, but to a lesser extent - by 19%. In women, an increase in waist by 12 cm led to a 13% increase in risk.

Specialists determined that central obesity, characteristic of men, contributes to an increase in the concentration of circulating insulin in the blood, which accelerates the growth of malignant tumors. Visceral fat (fat deposits in the abdominal cavity), more common in men, represents a greater risk factor compared to subcutaneous fat, which more often accumulates in women.

Thus, waist circumference is a more accurate indicator of cancer risks in men than in women.