Middle-aged men who gain 14.6 cm or more around their waist have 1.7 times the risk of diabetes, even when their overall weight change is considered. This finding is from the abstract summary - full study details were not available

Increased waist circumference is associated with a higher risk of metabolic disease and mortality, independent of total body weight.

People with bigger waists are more likely to die sooner, even if their overall weight seems normal—this means where you carry fat matters more than how much you weigh.

Gaining fat around the abdomen increases diabetes risk in middle-aged men, even when considering overall weight changes. This finding is from the abstract summary - full study details were not available

An increase in waist circumference is quantitatively associated with increased all-cause mortality risk in adult humans.

Women who gained belly fat over six years were more likely to die or have heart problems later, even if they weren't overweight to begin with.