The Reason Why Smokers' Belt Holes Increase One by One Revealed

Genetic Factors Related to Smoking Associated with Increased Visceral Fat

It is commonly believed that quitting smoking leads to weight gain, but a study has revealed that smoking can actually increase visceral fat, which is known to raise the risks of abdominal obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dementia.

On the 22nd, Professor German D. Karaskvila and his research team at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark reported in the journal Addiction, published by the Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA), that they analyzed the relationship between smoking and abdominal obesity using a single genetic variant affecting smoking in Europeans, reaching this conclusion.

Smokers tend to have lower body weight than non-smokers but more abdominal fat. Abdominal obesity and visceral fat are considered risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and dementia. However, it was unclear whether there was a causal relationship between smoking and abdominal obesity. Therefore, the researchers used Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate whether smoking increases abdominal fat. MR is a method that studies the impact of factors on health by using genetic differences that influence how the body responds to behaviors or environmental factors such as smoking.

The researchers measured smoking exposure (including smoking status, duration, and amount) and body fat distribution (waist-to-hip ratio), then used genetic instruments to estimate the causal relationship between smoking and abdominal obesity. The study utilized data from over 1.2 million smokers, about 450,000 lifelong smokers, and approximately 600,000 participants in body fat distribution studies.

First, they identified genes related to smoking habits and body fat distribution. Then, using this genetic information, they examined whether people with smoking-related genes had different body fat distributions. Finally, they verified whether the association between smoking and body fat distribution was influenced by other factors such as alcohol consumption or socioeconomic background rather than smoking itself.

The results showed that genetic factors related to smoking were more closely associated with an increase in visceral fat tissue, which surrounds abdominal organs, rather than subcutaneous fat under the skin. Dr. Karaskvila explained, "The waist-to-hip ratio measurements indicated that smoking can increase abdominal fat," adding, "It was particularly found that the type of fat increasing is more likely to be visceral fat rather than subcutaneous fat." He further stated, "Reducing abdominal visceral fat will help decrease related chronic diseases," and emphasized, "From a public health perspective, these findings highlight the importance of large-scale efforts to prevent and reduce smoking among the general population."

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