Belly fat a major risk for high blood pressure

Heart and Stroke Foundation
News Release

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The excess belly fat adding to a large waistline is a major risk factor for high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, warns the Heart and Stroke Foundation. But it’s easy to get your waist measurements and find out if you’re at risk – all it takes is a tape measure.

“As a rule, the bigger the waistline, the higher the risk,” says Dr. Robert Ross, Heart and Stroke Foundation spokesperson. The risk starts at these measurements:

For Men: 40 inches (102 cm)
For Women: 35 inches (88 cm.)
For Men of Chinese or South Asian descent: 35.4 inches (90 cm)
For women of Chinese or South Asian descent: 31.5 inches (80 cm) for women.

It was only 20 years ago that waist measurements became part of determining heart risk. Dr. Jean-Pierre Després, funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation, was able to establish abdominal obesity as a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. “It is at least as important to know your waist size as knowing your body weight. It’s a risk factor as important as your cholesterol,” he says. ”Waistline measuring is quick, easy to do, and highly accurate.” Your risk of heart problems or stroke also increases with risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, family risk, smoking, cholesterol

If you have any of these risk factors, Dr. Ross advises that you see your family doctor as soon as possible. The measuring tape clearly marks the measurements that define an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

The Heart and Stoke Foundation, Dairy Farmers of Canada and Loblaw Companies Limited have teamed up to bring you a free Heart&Stroke Healthy Waists tape measure. Ask for your tape measure at Dollar’s Your Independent Grocer on Laurentian Avenue while quantities last.

For more information on how to overcome your risk factors for heart disease and stroke visit www.heartandstroke.ca/healthywaists where you can watch a short video on how to properly measure your waist.

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