Thighs & Blood Pressure: An Observation
Chinese scientists reported this novel observation after investigating links between thigh circumference and blood pressure among 9,250 men and women age 40 or older. Most – 5,348 – were overweight and obese. The researchers found that men with thighs that measured greater than 55 centimeters (about 21.6 inches) in circumference and women whose thighs were greater than 54 centimeters (about 21.2 inches) around were more likely to have a lower prevalence of high blood pressure. The investigators also reported that both men and women whose thighs were smaller in circumference (less than 19.6 inches for women and less than 20 inches for men) were more likely to have high blood pressure. Study leader Zhen Yang, M.D., of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, said the probable cause of the association “is more thigh muscle and/or fat deposited under the skin, which secretes various beneficial substances that help keep blood pressure in a relatively stable range.”
Source:
Zhen Yang et al, “Large thigh circumference is associated with lower blood pressure in overweight and obese individuals: a community-based study. Endocrine Connections, April 2020, DOI: 10.1530/EC-19-0539
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