Ann Arbor (WWJ)  -- A new study from the University of Michigan could link belly fat to heart disease.

The research team is led by Dr. Daniel Eitzman, Associate Professor at the Cardiovascular Center at UM. He told WWJ Newsradio 950 they conducted the study using mice. "What we were able to do using mice was to transplant different types of fat into mice to determine the effect of that fat on vascular disease," he said.

"And what we found is that the type of fat that developed characteristics such as those that were seen in belly fat were those that developed vacular disease." Listen to the full interview as Dr. Eitzman talks with WWJ's Chrystal Knight.

Researchers say it's too soon to conclusively apply their findings to humans with belly fat, but they're hoping that further research will reveal more about this dangerous link.

The researchers also show that a medication often given to people with diabetes can be used to calm that inflammation, and protect against further artery damage.

Although the scientists caution that it's far too early to apply their findings to humans with belly fat, they hope that further research in animals and people will reveal more about how this dangerous link comes about, why it begins, how it can be reversed, and perhaps how it can be diagnosed at an early stage through blood tests.

Until then, UM reports the best advice for overweight people who want to reduce their chance of a heart attack or stroke remains the same: Work on losing your belly fat, and your other excess body weight, through a balanced, healthy diet and regular exercise.

Now that they have demonstrated the linkage between belly fat, inflammation and hardened arteries, and a potential mechanism for reversing the phenomenon, the team is working on new pieces of the puzzle. Specifically, they're looking for the factors that might trigger macrophages to invade the area and bring on inflammation, and for blood-borne molecules called biomarkers that might be used as a way to identify early warning signs of atherosclerosis. They'll also look at other classes of drugs to see if they might have a protective effect, because TZD drugs act on many systems and cause some side effects.

In addition to Eitzman, Öhman and Lawrence, the team includes former research associate Yuechen Shen, M.D., former U-M undergraduate Chinyere Obimba, B.S., now a Harvard Medical School student; former U-M undergraduate and current U-M medical student Andrew P. Wright, B.S.; and Mark Warnock, B.S. The research was funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.