Study Overview
Research published in the reveals that intermuscular fat increases the risk of heart attacks and heart failure, independent of body mass index (BMI). This fat, found within muscles, is similar to that in Wagyu beef and was studied in 669 patients at .
The study, led by Viviany Taqueti, used PET/CT scans to assess heart function and CT scans for body composition, finding that higher intermuscular fat correlates with coronary microvascular dysfunction and a 7% increased risk of serious heart disease for every 1% increase in fatty muscle fraction.
Implications and Future Directions
This research suggests that BMI is not a sufficient measure for predicting heart disease risk, particularly in women, and highlights the need for new methods to identify individuals at high risk due to hidden muscle fat.
While the study opens new avenues for understanding heart disease risks associated with muscle fat, it also calls for further research to determine effective treatment strategies for individuals with high intermuscular fat.