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Move over Swine Flu…There’s a new health scare in town. Did you know you could be in danger of death from heart disease if your thighs are too thin?

It’s true. Or at least new research says it’s true. And we all know new research is never wrong (except in the case of newer new research).

Seriously. I’m so worried about it, that I’m in my car right now on my way to get myself the sinful Angry Whopper to prevent my thighs from becoming too lean. Well, not really. I’ve finally rid myself of that grease filled spicy delight, and I don’t dare risk getting hooked on it again. But there’s always fries, ice-cream, fettuccine alfredo, or my world famous triple chocolate brownie cake (just to name a few).

Frankly, it’s been a pretty long time since I’ve been in danger of the ill effects of thin thighs (the 80’s). But that being said, we should probably address this breaking health story with the seriousness it deserves. Because if you’re one of those ‘thin thigh’ girls, you’re gonna want to figure out how to fatten those babies up before it’s too late. Or maybe not.

Lets take a look at what other women are saying about this latest research.

From The LA Times Blog – Hooray for huge thighs…

The researchers, from Copenhagen University Hospital, examined almost 3,000 people who were followed more than 12 years. The relationship between thigh size, heart disease and early death was found even after the scientists controlled for other factors, such as body fat, smoking and cholesterol levels. The study also found that cardiovascular death risk was more strongly related to thigh circumference than to waist circumference.

I wonder if they took blood pressure and heart rate into account? I imagine my not too thin thighs aren’t going to protect me if my resting heart rate is still 110…I guess time will tell.

From Salon – Thunder Thighs May Be Good For You…

When I read the BBC headline “Large thighs ‘may protect heart,’” my first response was, “Holy crap, Christmas came early!” I’m always excited to see the media reporting on studies that acknowledge the potential protective value of what’s usually referred to as “excess weight”, since most people can’t imagine that fat could be good for anything — but I never dreamed I’d see the day when scientists suggested big thighs might be a boon! As someone who’s naturally pear-shaped and quite generously thighed, who advocates trying to be healthy in the body you’ve got rather than fighting to change its size, and who spent nearly 20 years despising the shape of my legs, reading a sentence like, “The team at the Copenhagen University Hospital found that those with the smallest thighs — below 55cm — had twice the risk of early death or serious health problems” warms my possibly somewhat less vulnerable heart.

From Alex’s Blog – Thigh Risk…

I stood in front of Mrs R. and dropped my trousers.

“What,” she said wearily, “are you doing?”

Carefully I wrapped the tape measure around my thigh.

“I’m measuring my thigh.” I said, unnecessarily. “It says here that the circumference of your thigh determines whether you will have heart disease.”

I peered at the tape.

“Oh dear… I thought as much. I’m doomed. I’ve always had scrawny thighs.”

From My Reality or At Least I Think So – Skinny Thighs Are Bad…I have proof…

At last, good news for anyone who ever despaired of fitting into skinny jeans: Thin thighs might actually kill you. Or at least put a strain on your heart. That’s the word from Danish researchers who studied more than 2,800 middle-aged people for up to a dozen years, only to find that those with the slimmest thighs had the highest chance of heart disease and premature death.

From Julies Health Blog – Fries For Those Skinny Thighs…

For every 10 studies that show obesity poses some sort of health risk, it seems there’s one offering hope that extra weight has a protective effect.

The latest research has been spun to suggest that thunder thighs may be good for your health. But what Danish researchers actually showed in this study on BMJ.com was that people with small thighs may have a greater risk of developing heart disease or dying early.

From Jezebell – Latest Health Recommendation: Bigger Thighs…

According to a new study, people with larger thighs have a lower risk of heart disease and early death. Bonus: men apparently think overweight women are “less bitchy” than thin ones!

More precisely, people with thighs more than 60 cm (23.6 inches) in circumference have a lower death and cardiovascular disease risk than those with skinnier legs.

From Demi-Culture – Thin Thighs Indicate Heart Disease?

Body sensationalists get a gold medal today – apparently the newest health scare is that those with thin thighs are at risk to die of heart disease. Guess what… large thighs carry the same risk!

I’d say the size of your thigh is a moot point; concentrate on getting your daily required amount of nutrients and you’ll be fine, thin thighs and all.

Okay, lets get real for a minute. As much as I would love to believe that my thunder thighs might protect me from heart disease – There is just tooooooo much evidence proving that poor nutrition and obesity is at the root of not just heart disease, but also cancer, diabetes, auto-immune disease, and on and on.

Sorry.

I think this latest study may prove that there is a connection between greater muscle mass (not fat) in our thighs and a reduced risk of heart disease. But the bottom line is…

Eating healthy foods and getting a moderate amount of exercise is ultimately a better way to prevent heart disease than making sure your thighs aren’t too skinny.

So, lets review some of the best ways to prevent heart disease…

• 7 Lifestyle Tips For Reducing Blood Pressure and Maintaining Good Health
• National Heart Health Month: Do you know your resting heart rate?
• Nutrition Tips: You are what you eat.
• 100 Best Foods For Women
• Four Tips To A Long Life
• The All-You-Can-Eat Diet

What do you think about this latest study and the relationship between this size of your thighs and heart disease? Let me know in comments.

*cross-posted at BlogHer Health & Wellness