Where fat is stored matters for heart aging, study finds

A large new analysis of UK Biobank data indicates that where fat is stored in the body may matter more for heart aging than how much fat someone has overall. Visceral fat surrounding internal organs such as the stomach, intestines, and liver is linked to higher inflammation and faster aging of the heart and blood vessels, a pattern that holds even among people who are otherwise fit. In contrast, fat accumulated around the hips and thighs in women appears to slow or protect against heart aging. The findings come from imaging-based research using artificial intelligence to assess heart aging in more than 21,000 participants.

Researchers mapped fat distribution in participants and used AI to identify signs of organ aging, including stiff and inflamed tissue in the heart and vessels. Each participant was assigned a “heart age,” which was then compared with their actual age at the time of scanning. Across the cohort, those with greater visceral fat showed signs of accelerated heart aging. The study also highlighted pronounced sex differences: men with an apple-shaped pattern—more fat around the abdomen—tended to show earlier heart aging, whereas women with a pear-shaped pattern—more...