People with skinny thighs may die early: Study
Reported September 05, 2009
Chicago, September 5: People with skinny thighs are at an increased risk of premature death and cardiovascular disease, a new Danish study has showed.
Most of the women in the world desire to have model-like long and skinny legs to look hot and curvy. But, the new study warns that people with too-skinny thighs are more likely to develop coronary disease and die early than those with an average build.
Skinny thighs might actually kill you
A new research, published in the British Medical Journal, has found that people with a thigh circumference less than 24 inches (60cm) are more likely to have a higher risk of premature death and heart disease than those with more chunky thighs.
However, the study also concluded that there was no advantage to having even larger thighs.
To determine a link between thinner thighs and increased mortality and cardiovascular disease risks, Dr. Berit Heitmann from Copenhagen University Hospital and colleagues followed a sample of 1,463 men and 1,380 women, aged between 35 and 65 years-old.
All the study subjects were participating in the Danish MONICA project, a wider study assessing a number of health factors.
The study participants were examined in 1987/88 for height, weight, thigh, hip and waist circumference and body composition, and were followed up for 10 years for incidence of heart disease and 12.5 years for total number of deaths.
What were the study results?
During the follow-up period, 412 participants (257 men and 155 women) died and 403 (263 men and 140 women) developed new cardiovascular disease, while 137 (103 men and 34 women) were diagnosed with new coronary heart disease.
After assessing the results, the researchers found that death and cardiovascular disease were more likely for people with a thigh circumference of less than about 60 centimeters (23.6 inches), measured at the widest part of the thigh, just below the seat.
The study authors concluded that their findings showed that “the risk of having small thighs was associated with development of cardiovascular morbidity and early mortality. This increased risk was found independent of abdominal and general obesity, lifestyle and cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure and lipids related to early cardio vascular morbidity and mortality”.
They believe this all could be because of lack of muscle mass and or subcutaneous fat in the narrow thighs, which could make a person prone to low insulin sensitivity, type 2 diabetes and, eventually, heart disease.
Heitmann said: The model-type figure does seem more at risk than someone with an average size. This could be that thighs are made up mainly of muscle which has a positive affect on regulating insulin and inflammation.
The authors believe their findings may help GPs identify patients who are at an increased risk of dying early and developing heart disease.
Funded by the Danish Medical Research Council, this research is the first to investigate the implications of thigh size on health.
Source : The Money Times