| Researchers and health care professionals often use | | | | blood flow to your heart. |
| a calculation called the Body Mass Index (BMI) to | | | | Studies also link large waists with greater risk of some |
| determine whether or not someone is at a healthy | | | | cancers. Scientists believe that the higher levels of |
| weight. Recent studies suggest that waist | | | | insulin and insulin-like growth factors commonly seen |
| circumference is actually a better determination of | | | | with excess abdominal fat stimulate cancer cell |
| health risk than BMI, and that more emphasis should be | | | | growth. Excess waistline fat seems to approximately |
| paid to waist in classifying obesity. Waistline fat poses | | | | double the risk of breast cancer in women after |
| far more health dangers than does fat stored | | | | menopause, regardless of overall weight status. Since |
| elsewhere. Men who have waists larger than 40 | | | | prostate cancer is hormonally related, it may also be |
| inches and women who have waists larger than 35 | | | | affected by sex hormone proteins, which abnormal |
| inches have excess waistline fat and are considered | | | | insulin levels disrupt. Other research tentatively links |
| obese. | | | | metabolic syndrome and high insulin levels with a |
| Excess fat in the abdomen is considered a major risk | | | | greater risk of colon cancer. |
| factor for ailments associated with obesity such as | | | | The good news is that losing even a few pounds can |
| diabetes and metabolic syndrome. A person with | | | | make a huge difference. Weight loss can dramatically |
| metabolic syndrome has out of range values for any | | | | reduce the risk factors associated with heart disease. |
| three of the following: waist measurement, HDL or | | | | When you lose weight, your blood pressure will drop, |
| good cholesterol, blood triglycerides, fasting blood | | | | your cholesterol will get to better levels. Dropping 10 or |
| sugar, and blood pressure. | | | | 15 pounds can help your blood pressure drop 10 or 15 |
| Excess waistline fat is often an indicator of greater fat | | | | points. Additionally, it's possible for people to drop their |
| in deep abdominal storage, or even in organs like the | | | | LDL or bad cholesterol from 160 down to 90 just by |
| liver. These deep deposits are associated with higher | | | | losing 10 pounds. |
| levels of insulin. When fat cells enlarge, they produce | | | | So what exactly is the ideal waist size? Study results |
| more of some immune system proteins. These | | | | vary. Some show that for best health men should |
| proteins are transported directly to the liver, where | | | | strive for a waistline of 34 inches or less; other |
| they release inflammatory substances that raise the | | | | research indicates that a waistline below 39 inches is |
| risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and possibly | | | | OK. For women, studies show the safest waistline for |
| cancer. In addition, fat cells release blood-clotting | | | | heart health is less than 29 inches, but other research |
| factors that can affect blood vessels and put the | | | | has found that waistlines under 33 inches are |
| body in a state that favors clots. This is why the risk | | | | acceptable. |
| of heart attack and stroke rises. | | | | Ok. Now what do I do about it? Believe it or not, it's not |
| People can possibly inherit a susceptibility for storing | | | | going to require six days of aerobics every week to |
| fat on the waist, but larger waists are most often | | | | get your waist where it needs to be. Something as |
| related to lifestyle choices such as high-fat diets and | | | | simple as one of the most passive forms of exercise |
| sedentary behavior. Regular exercise and a balanced | | | | is very effective for getting rid of that spare tire. |
| diet are the best methods to control waistline fat and | | | | Studies have shown that 30 minutes of yoga once a |
| help prevent metabolic syndrome. In some cases, | | | | week could prevent middle-aged spread in people who |
| doctor prescribed medications can be taken to | | | | are of average weight. It also helped those who are |
| improve insulin abnormalities. | | | | overweight to lose those extra pounds. Even |
| An important thing to remember is that the heavier you | | | | something as simple as a 20 minute walk can be |
| are, the higher your risk of heart disease. Excess | | | | beneficial. |
| weight often means higher-than-normal levels of both | | | | It's also advised to make some simple changes to your |
| cholesterol and triglycerides, indications of how much | | | | eating habits. Cut back on sweets, white bread, pasta |
| fat may be also floating around in your blood. The | | | | and rice, butter, cream and other animal fat. Then add |
| higher the level of fat in your blood, the greater your | | | | more fruit, vegetables, whole grains such as |
| risk of developing a clot significant enough to block | | | | whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and whole cereals. |