DOCTOR’S NOTE

Belly fat can be a health concern

WOMEN who are “appleshaped” are up to twice as likely to suffer from some cancers, research shows.

An eight-year analysis of 400,000 UK adults found those with high belly fat were at double the risk of being diagnosed with womb cancer.

Glasgow University also found visceral fat increased the chances of the disease in the gallbladder by 83%, the kidneys by 39%, the liver by 25%, the bowel by 14% and the breasts by 11%.

Dr Carlos Celis-morales, at the European Congress on Obesity, in Maastricht, said: “This type of fat around your belly builds around your internal organs. That means it has more of a straining effect on them.”