Measuring waist circumference is key to assessing cardiometabolic risk
QUEBEC, Dec. 15 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Today's issue of Nature (Vol #
444) summarizes in an article, signed by both Professor Jean-Pierre Despres
and Doctor Isabelle Lemieux from the University of Laval, the current issues
and status of abdominal obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome. Given the
announced pandemic for this syndrome -- 300 million people will be diagnosed
with diabetes between now and year 2025(1), cardiovascular diseases will have
become the world's leading cause of death by 2010(2), already over one
billion people, mainly among the poor in developed nations, are overweight
(3) --, health policies can no longer ignore the importance of global
Cardiometabolic Risk. This term describes a cluster of metabolic
abnormalities associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes type 2 and,
in particular, abdominal obesity, whose importance as a risk factor has
simply been underestimated for far too long. Yet, measuring it is easy, quick
and inexpensive. Any doctor can do it. All they need to do is remember to
wrap an ordinary tape measure around the waist of their patients at risk.
For the past 20 years now, Professor Jean-Pierre Despres, Director of
Research in Cardiology at the Laval Hospital Research Centre, Scientific
Director of the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk and Professor at
the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Laval, has conducted numerous
studies with his team on this subject. For him, abdominal obesity is a major
risk factor for diabetes type 2 and cardiovascular disease. "In light of the
alarming increase of these diseases, we need to do everything we can to help
doctors who treat such patients change their habits and start integrating, in
a more systematic manner, measurements of waist circumference in their daily
practice". For Professor Despres and his team, waist circumference is as
vital a sign as hypertension, smoking and cholesterol for estimating
cardiovascular risk. Indeed, their work has allowed them to show that it can
help determine levels of abdominal adiposity, now recognized as key
contributor to several cardiometabolic dysfunctions.
In the December 14th issue of Nature, Professor Despres and his colleague
Doctor Isabelle Lemieux, have summarized the current state of knowledge
regarding abdominal obesity as a Cardiometabolic Risk factor. According to
Professor Despres: "There is still quite a lot of controversy around the
Metabolic Syndrome and it is precisely this controversial context that has
led Nature to ask us to present key elements of on-going international
debates while putting into perspective the specific areas of our research.
He added: "Our position is quite simple, abdominal obesity is by far, for
reasons shared in the article itself, the most widespread form of the
Metabolic Syndrome. Nevertheless, this should not prevent doctors from also
focussing their attention on more classical risk factors including age,
gender, good and bad cholesterol, high blood pressure, history of tobacco and
diabetes, to evaluate cardiovascular risk in a more holistic manner, or more
precisely Cardiometabolic Risk."
"This publication in Nature underscores the expertise and leadership of
the Laval Hospital Research Centre and University of Laval in this area,"
mentioned Dr. Raymond Leblanc, Deputy Provost of Research at University of
Laval. "Professor Despres and his colleagues, scientists, cardiologists and
heart surgeons were not only pioneers of these important discoveries on the
role of abdominal obesity, but will be increasing their efforts in this area
in order to significantly improve worldwide patient management," added Dr.
Denis Richard, Director of the Laval Hospital Research Centre. According to
him, "The new challenge for our center and our university lies now in our
ability to provide adequate lab facilities, equipment and resources for all
our physicians, scientists and research assistants."
Keeping in mind these constraints, Dr. Francois Philippon, Director of
the Multidisciplinary Department of Cardiology at Laval Hospital stated
that, "The work of Dr. Despres and his team is a key component of our
research activities in cardiology, metabolism and cardiovascular risk
factors. Our team's research and clinical expertise in preventive cardiology
has now achieved international recognition." Dr. Paul Poirier, Medical
Director of the Pavilion for the prevention of cardiovascular disease at
Laval Hospital commented that, "So far, we can be proud of what we have
achieved with limited resources which cannot be compared to those of the
major American research centres working in the same area. However, given
that our environment requires so much research and training of qualified
personnel, we need important funding, especially if we want to continue to
remain on the forefront of knowledge in this field, as is the case today," he
concluded.
Professor Despres, who has personally been funded by the Canadian
Institutes of Health Research during most of his career, emphasizes the need
to support the establishment and its young research scientists in Quebec and
Canada. "Knowledge development through research will not only allow us to
provide better health care to patients, but also to adapt and implement
preventive care strategies that will have been scientifically proven."
About the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk
Founded in 2005 at University of Laval, the International Chair on
Cardiometabolic Risk is made up of 25 world-renowned international
scientists. Their goals are to develop awareness and knowledge around the
Cardiometabolic Risk factor in order to improve international patient
management. Each year, this group organizes a series of conferences and
debates. Starting 2007, they will be providing physicians and patients with
various educational materials.
About the Laval Hospital
Founded in 1918, Laval Hospital, the heart and lung institute of
University Laval includes cardiology, pneumology, and the surgical management
of obesity departments. The Hospital's expertise includes ambulatory and
hospital care, teaching, research, and the evaluation of health technologies.
About the Laval Hospital Research Centre
The main goal of the Laval Hospital Research Centre is to slow the
obesity epidemic and the progression of cardiac and pulmonary disease through
research and prevention. The Laval Hospital Research Centre has focused its
development around this vision and aims to become the leading North American
research centre in cardiology, pneumology, and obesity.
References:
(1) http://www.emro.who.int/ncd/news-diabetes0504-rdaddress.htm -- last
accessed on December 11, 2006
(2) http://www.inserm.fr/fr/recherches/pnr/pnrc.html -- last accessed on
December 11, 2006
(3) http://www.rfi.fr/fichiers/mfi/sante/744.asp -- last accessed on
December 11, 2006
