A large waistline isn’t just uncomfortable, or unattractive. It can be deadly- even for people who have a normal body mass index (BMI), say researchers at the American Cancer Society, which funded and conducted a study that investigated the health repercussions of a bulging belly. They found that men and women over 50 years of age, with the biggest waistlines, have twice the risk of dying over a decade compared with those with the smallest bellies. Those with bigger waists had a higher risk of death from causes including respiratory illnesses, heart disease and breast and colorectal cancer.
Of all the studies I’ve read about, this one hit home the most: it wasn’t funded by a company trying to sell us something (which in my book makes it more credible) and it addressed the issue of belly fat, which, as a result of the natural redistribution of body fat during the menopause transition, puts mid-life w0men at risk for a number of diseases. How do you know how much body fat is too much? Measure your waistline. If it’s more than 35 inches, you’ve got a problem.
To clarify, we’re talking about visceral or intra-abdominal fat that lies deep within the abdomen. As explained in the current Harvard Women’s Health Watch newsletter;
“when it comes to body fat, location counts. The fat lying deep within the abdomen is more perilous than the fat you can pinch with your fingers. Visceral or intra-abdominal fat fills the spaces surrounding the liver intestines and other organs. It’s also stored in the omentum, an apron-like flap of tissue that lies under the belly muscles and blankets the intestines. The omentum gets harder and thicker as it fills with fat. Although visceral fat makes up only a small proportion of body fat, it’s a key player in a variety of health problems. That’s because researchers now believe that the fat cell is an endocrine organ, secreting hormones and other molecules that have far-reaching effects on other tissues …and researchers have identified a host of chemicals that link visceral fat to a surprisingly wide variety of diseases.”
Experts at Harvard Medical School say that visceral fat responds efficiently to diet and exercise, particularly aerobic activity and strength training, which can help to keep you lean by building muscle. I highly recommend Joan Pagano’s book, Strength Training for Women, to help you get started on a program you can stick with. Joan contributed a blogpost about “Strength Training, The New Star of Anti-Aging Strategies,” which is worth revisiting in light of this new research. I also have written about other books that offer advice on diet and exercise that can help keep body fat from landing in the wrong place.
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