Jeremy Clarkson shocked fans last month after revealing a cardiac scare left him ‘days away from death’.
But new videos published on Instagram this week to promote his Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm have sparked fresh concerns about the 64-year-old’s health.
The Grand Tour presenter, who was forced to have a stent inserted to ease his chest pain, was left with a visible beer belly.
The dangers of carrying excess fat around the waist – known as abdominal obesity – include an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, liver disease and heart attacks.
Research has also shown that “dad bods” and “muffin tops” are a sign that someone is more likely to develop heart disease.
And in a US study, scientists found that people whose waists are larger than their hips may be twice as likely to have a fatal heart attack.
Participants who were otherwise thin but had belly fat had a twofold risk of an adverse cardiac event compared to those with a slim waist.
Co-author of the study and cardiology expert at the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Jose Medina-Inojosa, added: ‘People with big bellies are more likely to have heart problems than people without big bellies, even if they are obese according to BMI are.
New videos published on Instagram this week to promote his Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm have sparked fresh concerns about the 64-year-old’s health
The Grand Tour presenter, who was forced to have a stent inserted to ease his chest pain, was left with a visible beer belly
‘This body shape indicates a sedentary lifestyle, low muscle mass and eating too many refined carbohydrates.
‘The abdomen is usually the first place we store fat, so people classified as BMI overweight but without a big belly are likely to have more muscle, which is good for their health.’
Another 2022 study also concluded that people with excess fat around the midsection of the body were also at increased risk for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
The term is used for a range of conditions caused by a build-up of fat in the liver, which can cause damage to the organ.
High levels of fat in your liver are also associated with an increased risk of serious health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney disease.
When investigating the best way to lose belly fat, the scientists found that 150 minutes of physical activity per week was enough to reduce belly fat, without reducing fat from other parts of the body.
But experts have also long urged people to be careful when trying to lose excess belly fat.
One, you-yo diet – losing weight quickly and then putting it back on – is linked to its own set of health problems, including hormonal imbalances and osteoporosis.
A 2022 US study also found that yo-yo dieting can increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes later in life, as repeated weight loss and worsening heart and kidney function can occur.
Clarkson first revealed his concerns about his heart health in his Sunday Times column last month, admitting he had emergency surgery after starting to feel unwell during the holidays. Pictured, with partner Lisa Hogan
When he returned to his Cotswolds farm after his trip abroad, he said he felt ‘clammy’, ‘a tight feeling in his body’ [his] chest’ and had ‘pins and needles’ in his left arm
Clarkson first revealed his concerns about his heart health last month in his Sunday Times column, admitting he had undergone heart disease treatment emergency surgery after he started feeling unwell while on holiday.
When he returned to his Cotswolds farm after his trip abroad, he said he felt ‘clammy’, ‘a tight feeling in his body’ [his] chest’ and had ‘pins and needles’ in his left arm.
After seeking medical attention, The Who Wants To Be A Millionaire host was told by doctors that a potentially fatal heart attack “might” happen in a few days, and had a stent inserted to keep the arteries open.
He said the operation lasted about two hours and ‘at one point it felt as if he had put a Hoover pipe on the arm, along with a pile driver, and was working in my heart with a B&Q chisel and hammer gift set’.
Earlier this year, alarming data showed that premature deaths from cardiovascular problems, such as heart attacks and strokes, had reached the highest level in more than a decade.
MailOnline has previously highlighted how the number of young people in England being treated for heart attacks by the NHS is increasing.
While some warning signs are easy to spot, such as severe chest pain, others are vaguer and harder to pinpoint
After seeking medical attention, The Who Wants To Be A Millionaire host was told by doctors that a potentially fatal heart attack “might” last a few days and had a stent fitted to keep the arteries open.
The number of heart attacks, heart failure and strokes among people under 75 has fallen since the 1960s.
This is thanks to declining smoking rates and breakthroughs such as stents and cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins.
However, in January the British Heart Foundation warned that interest rates were rising again and had reached their highest level in fourteen years.
The latest figures show that more than 39,000 people in England would die prematurely from cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes, in 2022 – an average of 750 people per week.
Rising obesity rates, sSlow ambulance response times for suspected heart attacks and strokes, and long waits for tests and treatment have been blamed.