top of page
Search

It’s NOT Your Weight—It’s WHERE You Store Fat That Matters!

Writer's picture: Healing_ PassionHealing_ Passion

A major new study, the PARAGON-HF trial, just exposed why BMI is not an accurate measure of health—and why we should be focusing on waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) instead!


🔬 Study Overview:


📌 4,796 participants with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

📌 Researchers compared BMI vs. WHtR to see which better predicted health risks & hospitalizations.

📌 Key focus:

Does total body weight (BMI) matter more than fat distribution (WHtR)?

 

📊 Key Findings:

✅ 96% of patients had central obesity (WHtR ≥0.5), but only 49% were "obese" by BMI!

✅ Many patients with "normal" BMI still had dangerous visceral fat, putting them at high risk of heart failure.

WHtR was a far better predictor of total heart failure hospitalizations than BMI.

✅ The "obesity paradox" (higher BMI linked to better survival) appeared in BMI-based analysis but NOT in WHtR-based analysis—proving BMI masks real health risks.

 

🚨 Why This Matters:

➡️ BMI can misclassify you!

You could be at high risk despite a “normal” BMI if you have excess belly fat.

➡️ Visceral fat (around your organs) is the real danger—not just body weight.

➡️ WHtR > 0.5 is the red flag! 

If your waist circumference is more than half your height, it’s time to take action.


🔥 Stop relying on BMI—use WHtR instead! Fat distribution matters far more than total weight when it comes to heart health, metabolic disease, and overall risk.


Peikert, A., et al., Near-universal prevalence of central adiposity in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: the PARAGON-HF trial. European Heart Journal, 2025.



3 views0 comments

Comments


Line ID: healingpassion

#M8-9 Premier Place Srinakarin, 618,  Samrong Nuea, Mueang Samut Prakan District, Samut Prakan 10270. Tel: + 66 98-270 5460

bottom of page