New York: People who carry fat around their belly, even if they are thin, have a greater mortality risk than those who are overweight or obese but have normal fat distribution, according to a study.

Researchers examined data from a large group of Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) participants to compare the total and cardio-vascular mortality risks with different combinations of body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratios (WHR).