The association of general obesity with sudden cardiac death appears to be mediated through traditional cardiovascular risk factors, whereas abdominal obesity may pose an independent risk for sudden death, a Heart study suggests.
The findings, according to editorialists, suggest that waist-to-hip ratio might be better than BMI for predicting sudden cardiac death. The mechanisms responsible for the association remain speculative, however.
The recommended waist circumference for men is less than 102 cm, and for women is less than 88 cm.

Heart