Have you got bulging waistline? It's time you were doubly careful. For, abdominal obesity is seriously linked to diabetes and heart ailment.

As a part of an international study named IDEA (International Day for the Evaluation of Abdominal Obesity) conducted in 2005, a survey reveals that 40 percent of local male patients and 42 percent of female patients attending primary health care clinics have abdominal obesity.

The intra-abdominal fat that wraps around major internal organs is metabolically active and can seriously affect our health, said Lau Chu-Pak, Chair Professor for the Department of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKU).

"The fat releases cytokines and free fatty acids, which can lead to insulin resistance, inflammation of blood vessels, abnormal lipid, high blood glucose and clotting tendency," Lau said. "They all spell higher risks for developing diabetes and heart disease."

A Chinese man with a waist circumference of over 90 cm (35.4 inches) and a Chinese woman with a waistline of over 80 cm (31.5 inches) are considered abdominally obese.

"Local females tend to have a more serious problem than males," Lau noted.

"The risk of abdominally obese females for developing hypertension is up to 3.3 times higher than those who don't have the "big belly" problem, while their risk for developing diabetes is up to 4 times higher," he added.

Many men patients, however, face an earlier onset of the problem. According to the study, the frequency of abdominal obesity increases to 30 percent of local male population aged between 30 and 40, compared to 25 percent of female population of the same age group.

To better monitor local patients' heart health, Lau suggested both primary care doctors should include waist circumference measure as part of their regular check-ups, to enhance public awareness of the relationship between abdominal obesity and cardiac risks.

Lau Sek-sen, 67, with a history of abdominal obesity, heart disease and diabetes, paid little attention to his bulging belly until he developed heart problems in 1998.

"The doctor told me to go on diet and lose the dangerous fat around my waist, which was partly the cause of my heart problems," said the taxi driver. "Since then I've adopted a regular exercise regime and a healthy diet."

(HK Edition 07/27/2007 page6)