Central obesity—a nice term for belly fat—leads to a greater risk of heart failure than overall obesity or BMI. Findings presented to the American Heart Association suggest inflammation may help explain why belly fat is especially harmful to heart health and, importantly, to identify people at higher risk and help reduce that risk. Nearly two thousand people were involved in the Jackson Heart Study and followed for seven years. Authors say the study helps understand why some people develop heart failure despite body weight that seems healthy. By monitoring waist size and inflammation it may be possible to identify those at higher risk earlier and prevent or reduce chances of heart failure before symptoms begin.