A 10-year Danish study released in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that the location of body fat in middle-aged women and men affects their risk of developing blood clots. As a plastic surgeon who specializes in Sacramento body contouring procedures, I found one highlight of the study particularly interesting: women are at higher risk for blood clots when they carry extra pounds on their hips, while men are at elevated risk when fat is around the waist.
When discussing body contouring procedures with my patients I often explain how that extra weight is making physical demands on their body. I take the time to find out what areas of the body my patients are most concerned about from a cosmetic perspective, but I also make an extra effort to educate them about how these procedures can contribute to staying fit and healthy.
Other Key Highlights of the Study
- The risk of life-threatening blood clots increases with obesity, but may also depend on the location of excess body fat and gender.
- The results challenge research that has suggested increased hip circumference is protective against blood clots.
It has become quite clear to most physicians that obesity has numerous negative effects on the body, making it all the more frightening that obesity has become an epidemic in America. Even people who are overweight need to look at this study carefully and consider that those few extra pounds – if in the wrong spot – can increase their risk for a potentially life-threatening condition.
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