New research suggests that people may be able to reduce their risk of an untimely death by maintaining a trim waistline.

While many guidelines for optimum health focus on body mass index (BMI), a Europe-wide study suggests that a large waist can almost double your risk of premature death, even if your BMI is within the normal range.

Lead author Dr Tobias Pischon, from the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Potsdam-Rehbrucke, revealed: "Abdominal fat is not only a mere energy depot, but it also releases messenger substances that can contribute to the development of chronic diseases. This may be the reason for the link."

The findings are published in the New England Journal of Medicine, but Imperial College London's Professor Elio Riboli revealed that there are plenty of steps that can be taken to reduce the risk.

He recommends measuring waist and hip size to identify a large waistline and then increasing exercise levels, eating more healthily and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption if necessary.