Fat Neck May Indicate Heart Risk
New York - Researchers from the Framingham Heart Study are reporting that people who have extra fat on their necks might have an increased risk of heart disease. The study compared the neck sizes of 3,000 men who averaged 51 years old, and those with a neck size of more than 40.5 centimeters were more likely to be diagnosed with heart disease.
For years, doctors have studied how extra fat on the stomach can put a person at risk for heart disease, but now it looks like extra fat on the neck can also be a contributing factor. The men with extra fat on their necks were also more likely to have bad cholesterol and diabetes, but carrying too much extra fat anywhere on the body is still not good for the heart. People with most of their extra weight in the upper portion of their body typically have more cardiovascular disease, according to Dr. Kirk Garratt, director of interventional cardiovascular research at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
The study findings were reported at the American Heart Association’s Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention convention in Florida on Wednesday.