Belly fat may be a better warning sign for heart disease than body mass index (BMI), according to a major study. Researchers found people with larger waistlines faced a higher risk of heart disease and death even when their BMI was in the normal or overweight range. But it does not show where fat is stored, meaning it can miss potentially dangerous fat around the middle. Researchers compared BMI with waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio, a measure thought to better reflect fat stored around the abdomen. The findings suggest waist measurements could provide doctors with another useful tool when assessing heart attack, stroke and heart failure risk, rather than relying on the scales alone.