The study finds that every 2 inches around a woman’s waist increases her fracture risk by 7%.

According to a study, feared spreading in middle age increases women’s risk of breaking their bones.

Canadian experts followed 20,000 men and women between the ages of 40 and 70 for six years.

They found that every two extra inches of a woman’s waist increased her risk of breaking a bone by up to 7%.

The researchers said the finding had “significant public health implications” and opposed the idea that obese people have stronger bones because of the extra body weight that increases their bone density.

The study found that for every extra five inches on a woman’s waist, she had a 7% higher risk of lower leg fractures and a 3% higher risk of any type of fracture.

Experts say they suspect that overweight women are unable to regain their balance after a possible fall due to excess weight on their waist.

This puts ankles that are not cushioned by soft tissues at risk of fracture if dropped.

The NHS states that women should try to keep their waist under 80cm.

But given that 70% of women in the UK have a higher waistline, this suggests that many have a higher risk of fractures.

9,985 women and 9,372 men participated in the study, led by researchers from the University of Laval in Quebec.

Participants were recruited between 2009 and 2010 and followed for about six years, during which time more than 800 people were cracked.

The location of these fractures, the patient’s waist circumference, and BMI were analyzed to quantify the difference in fracture risk.

Although the waist was identified as the most important factor in a woman’s risk of fracture, they found that women with a higher BMI were also at greater risk.

Women with a BMI over 40 who were considered obese were 40% more likely to have a below-knee fracture than women with a BMI of 25 who were considered healthy.

In the UK, 29 per cent of women fall into the fattest category.

Women with a BMI of 27.5 who were considered overweight were 5% more likely to suffer a lower extremity fracture than women with a healthy BMI.

But experts saw the opposite trend in men.

Being underweight, a BMI below 18.5, was associated with a higher risk of arm fracture.

More research is needed to determine if this trend holds true with a larger sample size, experts said.

But this may be because thin men have less tissue in their arms that can protect their bones from breaking.

Lead author of the study, Dr Anne-Frederique Turcotte, an expert in hormones and bodily functions, said the data show that waist circumference is a better measure of fracture risk in obese people.

“This may be due to visceral fat, which is metabolically highly active and is stored deep in the abdomen, lining the organs — secreting compounds that negatively affect bone strength,” he said.

He also theorized that how larger certain people carry their weight may also be behind the observed trend.

“We also know that obese people take longer to stabilize their bodies when they travel, for example,” he says.

“This is particularly evident when weight is concentrated in the front of the body, suggesting that individuals with body fat distribution in the abdominal region are at higher risk of falling.”

Dr. Turcotte said the discovery has significant public health implications, given the time it takes for obese patients to recover from broken bones.

“We know that obese people with fractures are more likely to have other health problems that can lead to slower rehabilitation, risk of post-operative complications, and risk of malunions (fractures that don’t heal properly),” he said.

“The aging of the population and the increasing incidence of obesity could lead to an increase in the number of fractures in the coming years.”

He said another study finds that being underweight is twice as likely to break an arm, and more research is needed.

NHS advice warns that carrying too much fat around the waist can increase the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke.

This is because the fat that accumulates around our waistline is around various vital organs, and it usually indicates fat in these organs, even in people with a healthy BMI.

The non-peer-reviewed Canadian analysis was presented at the European Obesity Congress in Maastricht, the Netherlands.

HOW SHOULD A BALANCED NUTRITION BE?

According to the NHS, meals should be potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains.

• Eat at least 5 servings of different fruits and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count

• Basic meals based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably wholemeal

• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is equivalent to eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole grain biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread, and a large baked potato in the crust

• Have some alternatives to milk or dairy products (such as soy drinks) and choose low-fat, low-sugar options

• Eat beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish per week, one of which is fat)

• Choose unsaturated fats and spreads and consume sparingly.

• Drink 6-8 glasses / glass of water a day

• Adults should have less than 6 g of salt per day and less than 20 g of saturated fat for women and less than 30 g for men.

Source: Eatwell NHS Guide