A study carried out in the University of Oxford and financed by the Cancer Research UK has assessed how a man's waist circumference can make him vulnerable to prostate cancer.
Well, to carry out the research, the data of 218.225 men from the United Kingdom were analyzed and it was finally concluded that the concentration of fat in the abdominal perimeter implies a risk of more aggressive prostate cancer.
Thus, the amount of fat in that area would be related to the likelihood of dying from cancer. The participants were selected from among 500.000 volunteers between 40 and 69 years of age, recruited between 2006 and 2010. At the beginning of the study, all were healthy and cancer-free.
The participants were then followed for 10,8 years. During this follow-up, data on body mass index, percentage of body fat (using bioelectrical impedance analysis), waist circumference, and finally, waist-to-hip ratio were recorded.
To conduct the study, variables such as lifestyle, medical history, and socioeconomic status were taken into account, and the results were as follows. During that decade, 571 participants died as a result of prostate cancer. Participants with a waist circumference 25 percent larger had a 35 percent higher risk of death. However, and interestingly, those with a waist-to-hip ratio 25 percent larger had a 34 percent higher chance of dying from the disease.
These data lead the participating experts to conclude that abdominal fat is more dangerous than obesity or being overweight itself. They emphasize that maintaining a healthy weight is essential to prevent many diseases, including prostate cancer. In this regard, not only is excess fat a risk factor, but also the distribution of fat throughout the body.
