In men, having more fat around the upper body is linked to an older biological age of the heart and blood vessels, with each extra kilogram of this fat type adding nearly a year to cardiovascular age. This link is not seen in women.

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Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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Community contributions welcome

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Sex-specific body fat distribution predicts cardiovascular ageing

Cross-Sectional Study

Human

2025 Dec 8

This study found that men with more belly fat have hearts that age faster than their actual age, but women with the same amount of belly fat don’t show the same effect — meaning belly fat is especially bad for men’s heart health.

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Source Study

Sex-specific body fat distribution predicts cardiovascular ageing

Score: 48

DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf553

Similar Assertions

In women before menopause, having more fat stored around the hips and thighs is linked to a slower decline in cardiovascular health over time, and genetic factors that influence this fat distribution are also associated with better cardiovascular outcomes.

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74%

In middle-aged adults, having more fat around the internal organs is linked to a faster rate of cardiovascular aging, with each additional liter of this fat corresponding to an extra 0.656 years of biological aging in the heart and blood vessels, even after accounting for overall body weight and chronological age.

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72%

The amount of fat stored around internal organs and within muscles and the liver is more strongly linked to signs of aging in the heart and blood vessels than overall body weight measured by BMI.

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71%