In a study from the Shanghai Jiao Tong University, scientists found that large thigh circumference is linked to a lower risk for hypertension in overweight and obese people.
High blood pressure, characterized by chronically elevated blood pressure (BP) above 140/90 mmHg, is a major public health problem affecting more than 1 billion people worldwide.
Previous research has shown that a small thigh circumference is linked to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and death risks.
In the study, researchers evaluated the link between thigh circumference and high blood pressure in middle-aged and older people. The analysis included 9,520 individuals aged 40 years and older.
The team found that thigh circumference was negatively linked to systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, and total cholesterol.
For people with the highest thigh circumference, the risk for high blood pressure was much lower than for the lowest group.
The team says in contrast to stomach fat, leg fat may be beneficial for metabolism.
The most likely cause of this association is that there is more thigh muscle and/or fat deposited under the skin which secretes various beneficial substances that help keep blood pressure in a relatively stable range.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about how fasting may help reverse high blood pressure naturally, and how to eat less salt to protect your blood pressure and heart health.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about why people with high blood pressure more likely to have severe COVID-19, and results showing when it comes to accurate blood pressure readings, cuff size matters.
The study is published in Endocrine Connections and conducted by Jie Shi et al.
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