Research presented at the American Heart Association's EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026 suggests that measurements of excess weight around the waist may increase the risk of heart failure primarily due to inflammation. The study found that higher waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio were each associated with increased heart failure risk, while high body mass index was not significantly linked to heart failure in this analysis. During a median follow-up period of 6.9 years, 112 adults developed heart failure among the 1,998 African American participants in the Jackson Heart Study.
The research revealed that elevated measurements of excess weight around the waist were associated with increased heart failure risk, and participants with higher inflammation levels, as measured by blood tests, were more likely to experience heart failure. Inflammation accounted for about one-quarter to one-third of the link between measures of fat stored around the waist and heart failure risk. This research helps us understand why some people develop heart failure despite having a body weight that seems healthy, said Szu-Han Chen, lead author of the study and a medical student at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan. The findings point to opportunities to identify people at higher risk of heart failure using waist measurements rather than relying only on BMI, which has been the traditional screening tool.
According to a 2025 scientific statement from the American Heart Association focused on risk-based primary prevention of heart failure, systemic inflammation is a common risk factor for heart disease because it can disrupt the immune system, damage blood vessels and lead to the build up of scar tissue in the heart. The Association has also highlighted evidence that higher levels of inflammation in the body are linked to an increased risk of heart disease, even in adults with normal cholesterol levels. This study highlights the importance of integrating measures of central adiposity such as waist circumference into routine preventive care, said Sadiya S. Khan, M.D., M.Sc., FAHA, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association's 2025 Scientific Statement: Risk-Based Primary Prevention of Heart Failure. Understanding upstream drivers of heart failure risk including central adiposity is key to recognizing and modifying risk. Khan, who was not involved in the study, noted that future research should identify if central adiposity has greater predictive utility beyond strength of association.
The American Heart Association recently launched the Systemic Inflammation Data Challenge to encourage collaboration and deepen understanding of how inflammation contributes to heart disease and related conditions including heart failure. This initiative reflects growing recognition of inflammation's role in cardiovascular health. Researchers noted limitations including the lack of access to participants' heart failure subtypes, meaning the findings apply to all types of heart failure together. Future research should examine how visceral fat and inflammation relate to different types of heart failure and whether reducing inflammation can help prevent or reduce the risk of heart failure. The study was conducted under the guidance of Professor Hao-Min Cheng at Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University.
It is important to note that the study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at the American Heart Association's scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Statements and conclusions of studies presented at the Association's scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association's policy or position.
