Extra inches on waistline ‘biggest risk for heart disease,’ scientists find

Risk increases 11 per cent with every additional inch, Thomas Kingsley reports

Researchers advised regularly checking your waist size

Every additional inch on the waistline increases the risk of heart failure by 11 per cent, research shows.

Analysis of health data on adults aged 40 to 70 showed weight circumference is the biggest risk factor over other obesity measures such as body mass index (BMI) which measures the mass and height of a person.

The 13-year study conducted by Oxford scientists found extra pounds around the belly are far more important than overall weight. Research revealed that the risk of heart attacks and cardiac arrests increased by four per cent for every centimetre on the waistline.