Large Thighs" May Protect Heart" Men and women with thighs over 60cm(23.6in)in circumference have a lower risk of heart disease and early death ,a study of 3,000 people suggests. The relationship remains even when body fat, smoking and blood cholesterol are taken into account, a Danish team says. Those with narrow thighs may not have enough muscle mass to deal with insulin properly, raising the risk of diabetes and, in turn, heart disease, they say. Some said it was too early to change current advice on eating and exercise for heart health. The study ,published in the British Medical Journal, followed men and women in Denmark for more than 10 years. They were measured for height, weight and thigh, hip and waist circumference and their overall percentage of body fat was calculated. The thigh measurement was taken just below the gluteal fold, which is the crease caused by your buttocks. Researchers also looked at the activity levels of the participants, whether they smoked, their blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They then monitored incidence of heart disease over 10 years and death rates over 12 - and - a - half years. The team at the Copenhagen University Hospital found that those with the smallest thighs—be- low 55cm—had twice the risk of early death or serious health problems. Professor Befit Heitmann, who led the research, said:" The increased risk was independent of abdominal and general obesity and lifestyle and cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure. " "Additionally we found that the risk was more highly related to thigh circumference than to waist circumierence. " "The nice thing is that if you have a small thigh you call do something about it through exercise. " Previous studies have suggested that a waist circumference of over 35in(88.9cm) for a woman and 40in(101.6era) for a man indicated a high risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. Professor Heitmann’s team says the risk of narrow thighs could be associated with too little muscle mass. They say this can lead to the body not responding to insulin properly, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and, in the long- run, heart disease. What can NOT be inferred from this passage
A．It is traditionally believed that a too large waist circumference can lead to heart disease. B．To have proper amount of muscle mass is important for maintaining health. C．Insulin is related to the type 2 diabetes. D．It is suggested that people, who have too small thighs, should eat more meat.