The European Heart Journal announced that British scientists conducted a study in which they discovered a factor that accelerates the aging of the heart and blood vessels.

The journal noted that during the study, scientists analyzed data from more than 21,000 people from the UK Biobank, examining their heart and artery conditions in addition to obesity rates. Researchers concluded that excess weight is not the only factor affecting heart aging; the distribution of fat in different body areas plays a crucial role.

Scientists used machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to estimate the so-called “heart age” of a person, meaning the difference between their actual age and the condition of their heart and blood vessels. The results showed that visceral fat (surrounding internal organs), fat infiltration in muscles, and fat accumulated in the liver are among the main factors that accelerate the aging process of the heart and vascular system in both men and women.

It was also found that differences in fat distribution affect heart aging differently between genders; heart aging accelerates more in men due to fat accumulation in the abdominal and lower body areas, while fat distribution around the hips and buttocks in women has a protective effect that reduces the pace of cardiac aging.

The study’s authors emphasize that total body weight is not the only factor to focus on for preventing cardiovascular diseases, but rather the mechanism and locations of fat accumulation in the body play a fundamental role in heart health and longevity.