A meta-analysis concluded that ventral adiposity, i.e. fat in the cellular tissue under the skin in the belly, increases the risk of dying prematurely . Moreover, this conclusion applies to all causes of mortality. Beyond consumer behavior, according to researchers, our food system should be completely overhauled.
There is no longer any doubt that obesity is synonymous with an increased risk of mortality. In 2019, a study even estimated that the rate of certain obesity-related cancers would have increased in adults aged 25 to 49 over the past two decades. However, there is a concept called "healthy obesity". The idea is simple:it would be possible to be obese without having any pathology and no problem to move.
A meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal September 23, 2020 kicks off the idea of healthy obesity. According to the researchers, the meta-analysis highlights the strong correlation between ventral adiposity and the risk of all-cause mortality. In other words, the belly fat would be an additional mortality factor.
The objective of the meta-analysis was to bring together different studies about this possible association between mortality and ventral adiposity. Each of the studies measured several more or less precise markers. These include waist circumference, thigh circumference, hip circumference, waist/hip ratio, waist/height ratio, waist/thigh ratio and body fat index. The researchers analyzed the data of no less than two million people in this way. In conclusion, the researchers asserted that ventral adiposity is linked to an elevated risk of mortality, and this in a significant way. The leaders of the study even identified a dose-response (or dose-effect), an important criterion for suspecting the risk of causality.
Scientists believe that the phrase "eat less, move more" is no longer viable. You should know that food intake is something very complex, subject to different factors. Fighting obesity would therefore involve reviewing the entire food system . In other words, not all responsibility should rest with the consumer. For researchers, the complex environment in which we live should allow people to make the right choices while having access to quality information. The goal ? Have the means to act on their illness while benefiting from essential medical care.
