New research confirms link between belly fat and heart disease
POSTED February 19, 2011 - 14:22 | POSTED BY Yasser Ali
Last edited by Silky Chandvani on February 19, 2011 - 15:39
Triglycerides are a kind of fat molecules that are associated with bad cholesterol. The presence of these fat molecules indicates an individual’s risk of inflammation of the inner wall of arteries.
The research confirms the link between belly fat and heart disease because scientists have now been able to determine how high-fat meals affect individuals with varying levels of belly fat.
Dangers of fast food
According to Anthony Passerini, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at UC Davis, who led the project, the new study shows that eating a common fast food meal can affect inflammatory responses in the blood vessels.
"Our techniques allowed us to measure the inflammatory potential of an individual's lipids outside of the body and to correlate that with easily measured characteristics that could be used to help better understand a person's risk for vascular disease," Passerini said.
The research involved a group of 61 volunteers with a range of waist sizes and with high and normal fasting triglyceride levels.
The level of triglycerides in their blood was measured after they ate a typical fast food breakfast comprising of breakfast sandwiches, harsh browns, and an orange juice.
The researchers found that after the volunteers had their breakfast, the size of a particle called triglyceride-rich lipoprotein (TGRL) depended directly on their waist size and pre-existing triglyceride levels.
These particles were then tested to see how they affected the endothelial cells of arteries.
More belly fat means greater risk of heart disease
Those who had a waist size above 32 inches and high triglyceride levels had bigger lipoprotein molecules that easily fastened to the endothelial cells to cause inflammation.
People with existing low-grade inflammation were more likely to get endothelial abnormalities. Repeated episodes of inflammation can lead to atherosclerosis.
The findings were published online in the 'American Journal of Physiology -- Heart and Circulatory Physiology.'
