The Archives of Internal Medicine just released some information
that I thought was interesting, so I wanted to pass it on to you.
The information released is about stomach size: Belly bulge can be
deadly for older adults, even those who aren’t overweight or obese
by other measures.
This is one of the largest studies to examine the dangers of
abdominal fat, and it suggests men and women with the biggest
waistlines have twice the risk of dying over a decade compared with
those with smaller tummies.
What’s surprising is bigger waists carry a greater risk of death
even for people whose weight is “normal” by the body mass index
(BMI). (The BMI is a standard measure based on weight and height)
The lead author of this new study, Eric Jacobs of the American
Cancer Society, had this to say; “Even if you haven’t had a
noticeable weight gain, if you notice your waist size increasing,
that’s an important sign. It’s time to eat better and start
exercising more.”
This is the newest study on the risks of a large belly, but there
are other studies that have linked waist size to dementia, heart
disease, asthma, and breast cancer as well.
Bulging bellies are an increasing problem for Americans older than 50.
It’s estimated that over half of older men, and over 70% of
older women have bigger waistlines than recommended.
If you’d like to measure your stomach to see if it is a healthy
size, take a tape measure and wrap it around your waist at your
belly button. Do not suck in your stomach when doing the
measurement. Stand normally. Men should have a waist
circumference no larger than 40 inches and women the limit is 35
inches.
If you find that your waist is larger than these numbers, then
consider increasing your exercise or modifying your diet to get
down into the normal range.
Email me any questions or comments and I’ll get back to you!
Have a great day,
Dr. Justin Trosclair
Source: AP, Denver Post 8/10/2010
