Waist size may be a better predictor of heart failure risk than BMI, study finds

Central obesity is when visceral fat builds up in the abdomen. Visceral fat is deep rather than near the surface and surrounds organs.

A recent study explored how central obesity relates to heart failure and how inflammation plays a role in the relationship. The results showed that greater inflammation was associated with worse heart failure-free survival.

Two indicators of central obesity were both predictors of heart failure. Finally, inflammation accounted for about a quarter of the effects of central obesity on heart failure.

These results suggest that evaluating central obesity may be a critical component of addressing heart failure risk. The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026 , and the findings are yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Researchers looked at data from almost 2,000 adults who were part of the Jackson Heart Study and did not have heart failure at baseline. Researchers had certain indicators for fat in the body, including weight, body mass index, waist-to-height ratio, and waist circumference.

Waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio can both assess central obesity.