In general, it is known that the higher the body fat, the higher the risk of heart disease, but a recent study found that women with high body fat and high muscle mass have a 42% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease (CVD) than women with both low body fat.
Men had a 26% reduction in risk of dying from heart disease, compared to men with more muscle mass and less body fat, and 60% less risk of dying from heart disease. When both muscle mass and body fat were high, it was different from women who had the lowest risk of heart disease.
According to a report by the American medical media’Medical News Today’ on the 21st, a research team at the University of California, Los Angeles, published the same in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
The researchers noted that while the mortality rate from CVD has been falling in the United States over the past 50 years, the risk rate for women has declined more slowly than in men, and the incidence of heart attacks in women aged 35 to 54 has increased.
The research team found that although women have a lower incidence of CVD than men, they have a higher mortality rate and a poor prognosis after acute cardiovascular disease. This means that different CVD prevention methods are needed for different sexes.
The research team analyzed body composition data from 1999-2004 and CVD mortality data from 1999-2014 of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Subjects were 5627 women and 5836 men over the age of 20.
They were divided into four groups: △low muscle mass and low body fat △low muscle mass and high body fat △high muscle mass and low body fat △high muscle mass and high body fat.
Until now, both men and women were known to have a high CVD mortality rate when body fat is high regardless of muscle mass. However, when considering the relationship between body fat and the risk of death from CVD after removing other factors known to affect mortality, it was found that high body fat in women significantly lowered the risk of CVD.
The research team found that women with high body fat and high muscle mass had a 42% lower risk of CVD death than women with both low body fat, and men with high muscle mass and high body fat had a 26% risk of CVD death and muscle mass compared to men with both low measurements. Men with high and low body fat reported a 60% reduction in risk.
The research team explained, “These results suggest that women should exercise focusing on gaining muscle mass rather than losing weight to prevent CVD.”
CVD is difficult to determine because there are several risk factors such as △cholesterol level △high blood pressure △diabetes △hormone replacement therapy (HRT). For example, being overweight or obese can lead to CVD by increasing the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure.
However, a level of body fat that does not pose such a risk factor can rather protect women from CVD. The researchers noted other research findings that the fat in the thighs and buttocks can trigger a metabolism that offsets the harmful effects of abdominal fat.
In addition, premenopausal women store about 50% of the body fat under the skin of the thighs and buttocks, while men store 98% of the total fat in the upper body (abdomen). In addition, women also pointed out that a high percentage of body fat may increase the risk of CVD because fat tissue begins to accumulate in the abdomen after menopause and menopause.
In addition, the research team explained, “While women accumulate fat by increasing the number of fat cells, men tend to increase the size of fat cells. There are reports that large fat cells cause negative metabolism.” .
This study only confirmed the association between muscle mass and fat mass and CVD mortality, but failed to prove a causal relationship. The research team stated that further research is needed for this.