A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that body mass index (BMI) alone may not be reliably linked to cardiovascular disease risk. Researchers say the best indicator for health and heart disease risk is the waist to hip ratio. Adding inches to the waistline can greatly increase a person's risk for heart disease, even if their BMI is in the healthy range.

The study used records from the Dallas Heart Study - an ongoing project that evaluates factors and risks related to heart disease for an urban population whose median age is 45. The researchers focused on a group of over 2,500 people who had been scanned for signs of plaque in their arteries and in their aorta (the artery near the heart). These participants were scanned with electron-beam computed tomography to detect calcium deposits that can cause hardening of the arteries which can eventually lead to heart attack.

The results of the study found that the the group with the largest waist hip ratio were nearly twice as likely to have calcium deposits than others with small waist hip ratios. Only those with the highest BMI were found to have a strong connection tor calcium deposit prevalence. The difference for those with the lowest BMI scores and those with midrange scores were found to be much less. The researchers used the findings to state that BMI does not identify patients who have fat deposits around the waist. These patients appeared to have related risks for metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and abnormal cholesterol levels.

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