Bigger thighs mean longer lives: study
We know having a big waistline is unhealthy. But bigger thighs, it appears, may protect against heart disease and premature death.
A study published on BMJ.com (the British Medical Journal's site) found that men and women whose thighs are less than 60cm around - 23.6 inches - have a higher risk of premature death and heart disease compared with those with thighs about 60cm.
Having thighs that are even bigger than 60cm, however, confers no added benefit. The study is the first to suggest that thigh size matters.
The measurement was of subjects' right thighs. It was taken as high up on the leg as possible.
The researchers, from Copenhagen University Hospital, examined almost 3000 people who were followed for more than 12 years. The relationship between thigh size, heart disease and early death was found even after the scientists controlled for other factors, such as body fat, smoking and cholesterol levels. The study also found that cardiovascular death risk was more strongly related to thigh circumference than to waist circumference. People with a circumference of less than 55cm doubled their risk factor.
It seems logical that big thighs signal a higher fat content, which would be bad for cardiovascular health. So why are slender thighs worse? The authors suggest that small thighs could mean there is too little muscle mass in the region. The presence of muscle tissue influences insulin resistance and other cardiovascular risks.
The authors recommend more emphasis on lower-body work-outs to strengthen legs.
"Behaviours to selectively reduce waist circumference are generally unknown," they wrote. "Thigh muscle mass, on the other hand, can be selectively increased by lower body physical activity."
However, an editorial accompanying the paper calls for more research before everyone grabs a tape measure. Future studies should assess whether efforts to increase thigh muscle mass through additional leg exercises cuts cardiovascular risk more than would be expected.
Los Angeles Times
