Friday 17/October/2025 – 09:15 PM
A study showed that Hidden fat Surrounding organs and stored in the liver may quietly damage arteries, even in people who appear thin. Researchers at McMaster University in Canada analyzed MRI scans and health data for more than 33,000 adults in Canada and the United Kingdom, and found that visceral fat, the type that accumulates in and around internal organs, was strongly linked to enlargement and blockage. Carotid arteries, which supply blood to the brain.
Study: A thin person is at greater risk of heart attacks
According to what was published in the British newspaper Daily Mail, the narrowing of these arteries is one of the main risk factors for stroke, and may also indicate that other vital blood vessels, such as those that feed the heart, have become blocked, and the results, published in the journal Communications Medicine, challenge the long-term reliance on the body mass index (BMI) as a measure of obesity.
Study co-author Professor Russell De Souza, from McMaster University, said: “This study shows that even after taking into account traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as cholesterol and blood pressure, visceral and liver fat still contribute to arterial damage.
Professor Marie Bigeier, co-author of the study, said: “The research highlights the need for more advanced methods to assess fat distribution, not just overall weight, and this type of fat is metabolically active and dangerous, as it is linked to inflammation and arterial damage even in people who are not visibly overweight.”
The study results emphasized the importance of imaging-based methods to detect hidden fat deposits, which increase the risk of heart disease, and could lead to more personalized preventive strategies.
