Watch Your Waist
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Reviewed October 2009
As pounds creep on, does it seem like they make a beeline for your midsection, making that blouse fit a bit more snug or making it harder to zip up those pants comfortably? Beyond the havoc it may pose to your wardrobe, an expanding waistline has far greater potential for health harm. The good news, however, about so called belly fat is that it is easier to lose than fat around your hips or thighs - provided you aim to eat right and stay active.
Officially referred to as visceral fat, it is a deep fat that wraps itself around vital organs in the body. This creates a flux of harmful hormones while squelching the production of good ones. Ultimately this is linked to the development of a number of ailments such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, gallstones and some cancers. An easy way to gauge your visceral fat amount is to measure your waist circumference with a simple tape measure. Greater than 35 inches (for women) is most risky. There are health risks with lesser inches though. In a study of 42,000 women, those with a waist measuring at least 32 inches were nearly twice as likely to need gallstone surgery as those with a waist measuring less than 26 inches. Men are not immune as greater than 40 inches puts them at health risk.
The best means for banishing belly fat are tried and true exercise and diet. In one study, it was found that an exercise program equivalent to a brisk 30-minute walk six times a week could prevent accumulation of visceral fat. In this same study, individuals that did not exercise saw a nearly 9% increase in visceral fat in only six months. Adding strength training to your exercise regime has the potential to further decrease the amount of visceral fat. Optimal frequency for strength training is two to three times per week (not consecutive days).
In other research, diet was also crucial for whittling waist size. Individuals with the smallest increase in waist circumference were eating mainly unrefined carbohydrates (i.e. brown rice, whole grain bread and oatmeal). On the other hand, those eating more refined carbohydrates (i.e. white bread, white rice and crackers) had larger increases in waist circumference. A closer look at the dietary patterns in this study revealed fiber was the fat fighter. A food pattern that included cereal, fruits, vegetables, non-white bread, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds was associated with the smallest rise in waist circumference.
The bottom line then is that in addition to knowing your body mass index (BMI), it is also important to keep track of your waistline.
Copyright 2002 Brigham and Women's Hospital
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