A new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that having a "spare tire" of weight around your stomach is even more unhealthy than being overweight, according to The Independent.
The study examined 15,184 men and women in the United States with an average age of 45 and found that those with a normal weight and extra fat around their stomach had lower survival rates than those in the overweight or obese category.
"Our analyses ... show that normal-weight US adults with central obesity have the worst long-term survival compared with participants with normal fat distribution, regardless of BMI category, even after adjustment for potential mediators," the researchers wrote.
Although the effect was slightly less pronounced in women, their risk of death was still increased by up to 40 percent. Furthermore, additional visceral fat was also linked to a higher diabetes risk, higher levels of blood fats and inflammation, according to the Belfast Telegraph.
"Our findings suggest that persons with normal-weight central obesity may represent an important target population for lifestyle modification and other preventive strategies," said Francisco Lopez-Jiminez, lead author of the study.
The researchers suggest keeping a healthy, balanced diet to avoid the negative effects of a "spare tire" and point to future studies for a further understanding of its effects on health, according to The Guardian.
"Future studies should focus on identifying factors associated with the development of normal-weight central obesity and better understanding the effect of normal-weight central obesity on health outcomes."
