A genetic predisposition to higher waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) was associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease (CHD), according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Elevated WHR has been associated with atherosclerosis severity and myocardial infarction in several studies, although the degree to which elevated WHR directly influences CHD is unknown. This study provides support for a direct relationship between elevated WHR and CHD, and suggests that therapeutic targeting of pathways that influence distribution of body fat may reduce risk for diabetes mellitus and CHD. Read more >>>