CHICAGO — If your pants feel a bit tight around the waistline, take note: Belly bulge can be deadly for older adults, even those who aren’t overweight.
One of the largest studies to examine the dangers of abdominal fat suggests men and women with the biggest waistlines have twice the risk of dying over a decade compared with those with the smallest stomachs.
Surprisingly, bigger waists carry a greater risk of death even for people whose weight is “normal” by the body mass index, or BMI, a standard measure based on weight and height.
“Even if you haven’t had a noticeable weight gain, if you notice your waist size increasing that’s an important sign,” said lead author Eric Jacobs of the American Cancer Society, which funded the study.
Bulging bellies are a problem for most Americans older than 50. It’s estimated that more than half of older men and more than 70 percent of older women have bigger waistlines than recommended. Some older adults gain belly fat while they lose muscle mass, Jacobs said, so while they may not be getting heavier, they’re changing shape — and that takes a toll.
To check your girth, wrap a tape measure around your waist at the navel. No fair sucking in your bulge. Men should have a waist circumference no larger than 40 inches. For women, the limit is 35 inches.
Four extra inches around the waist increased the risk of dying from between 15 percent to 25 percent, the study showed. Oddly, the strongest link — 25 percent — was in women with normal BMI.
People with bigger waists had a higher risk of death from causes including respiratory illnesses, heart disease and cancer.
The study used data from more than 100,000 people who were followed from 1997 to 2006. Nearly 15,000 people died during that time.
Fat stored behind the abdominal wall may be more harmful than fat stored on the hips and thighs. Some scientists believe belly fat secretes proteins and hormones that contribute to inflammation, interfere with how the body processes insulin and raise cholesterol levels.
But Dr. Samuel Klein, an obesity expert at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is skeptical about that theory. Removing belly fat surgically doesn’t lead to health improvements. That may mean it’s simply a stand-in for some other culprit that is causing both belly fat and poor health. Klein wasn’t involved in the new research.
Klein said the new study, while showing a link between waist size and mortality, doesn’t pinpoint exactly how much belly fat is dangerous for normal, overweight and obese people. The 40-inch for men and 35-inch for women cutoff points are irrelevant for many people, he said.
What can be done to fight belly fat? It’s the same advice as for losing weight. Eat fewer calories and burn more through walking, bicycling and other aerobic exercise. “Sit-ups are useless,” Klein said.
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