A study by the Taiwan Epidemiology Association suggests that people who have slender thighs and large waistlines are at high risk of developing chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cancer and liver diseases.
While some women might desire slim thighs, its study showed that people with a thigh measurement of less than 50cm and a waist measurement of 90cm or more — representing a waist to thigh ratio of at least 1.8 — are twice as likely to develop diabetes, liver disease, cancer and other chronic diseases, the association said.
Hsu Kuang-hung (許光宏), an executive council member of the association, said researchers used a 3D whole body imaging system to scan the physiques of 82 people and analyzed the association between their measurements and their prevalence of developing chronic diseases.
The association’s survey of more than 10,000 people in the past decade had already suggested that having a small thigh measurement may not be a sign of health, as skinny thighs are often linked to a lack of the protein adiponectin, which can increase the risks of diabetes or metabolic syndrome, Hsu said.
People with larger waistlines often have excess visceral fat, which disrupts the normal functioning of the endocrine system, leading to a higher incidence of several diseases, he said.
However, people with adequate fat and muscles in their thighs and legs might have higher levels of anti-inflammatory hormones, he said.
A 49-year-old taxi driver with a waist measurement of 101.6cm and a thigh measurement of 49cm — a waist to thigh ratio of 2.07 — was at first diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension, but was later found to have chronic liver disease as well, he said.
Association executive council member Chiou Hung-yi (邱弘毅) said chronic diseases killed at least 110,000 people in Taiwan last year, and about 19.7 percent of adults are suffering from metabolic syndrome, meaning that almost one in every five people is at a high risk of developing chronic diseases.
Instead of encouraging beauty pageant participants to have slender thighs, they should be encouraged to train their leg muscles by doing regular exercise, such as jogging or walking, Hsu said.
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