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For people with heart disease, having a big waist may be worse than having a high overall weight, a new study suggests. The study put together numbers from 5 earlier studies. Everyone in the studies had coronary artery disease, a narrowing inside the arteries of the heart. The studies included about 15,000 people. Their average age was 66. Researchers measured their body mass index (BMI), a measurement of weight compared with height. They also measured waist-to-hip ratio. This is equal to waist size divided by hip size. Doctors use this measurement to estimate belly fat. Researchers kept track of people for about 5 years. In that time, nearly 4,700 died. People who had a normal BMI but a larger waist were 27% more likely to die than people who were obese but carried less weight in the belly. The Journal of the American College of Cardiology published the study.

A new report in a medical journal looks at some common beliefs about obesity and weight loss, and finds them a little thin on proof. Among the obesity myths is the one about sex burning 100 to 300 calories. Since it lasts about 6 minutes, on average, that total is way too high, the authors say. They also say it’s not true that small changes over time lead to a large weight loss. The body’s energy needs will change, so you’ll lose less than you expect. School gym classes also don’t reduce obesity because they are too short or not intense enough. It’s also a myth that losing weight slowly is better than losing a lot fast, the authors say. Research shows that people who take the slow approach often lose less in the long run. The New England Journal of Medicine published the study. The Associated Press (AP) wrote about it January 31.