A new study appearing in online edition of Gut, a journal of British Society of Gastroenterology says that belly fat may raise the risk of gallstones in older women.
The findings of the study were that abdominal circumference and waist-to- hip ratio were associated with an increased risk of gallstones and gall bladder removal or cholecystectomy in women.Edward Giovannucci of Harvard University and colleagues from other institutions undertook the study in which they studied 42,312 women aged 39 to 66 in 1986. All these subjects participated in the Nurse's Health Study, for an average of 12 years. Data for participants’ weights, heights, and waist and hip circumferences and the occurrence of cholecystectomy were noted.
A total of 3,197 cases of cholecystectomy were documented during the study.
The result was that women with a height-adjusted waist circumference of 36 inches or larger were almost twice more likely to have the risk of cholecystectomy compared with women with a height- adjusted waist circumference of less than 26 inches.
Women with a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.86 or higher were 40 percent more likely to have the risk compared with those with a waist-to-hip ratio of less than 0.70.
Therefore keeping the waist under 36 is a good idea to stay fit, slim and also avoid gallstones.
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