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By Diane Griffith, HealthAtoZ writer
Are you bothered by your beer belly? Loathe those love handles?
According to the National Institutes of Health, more than half of us are overweight. If your fat is in your waist, your risks for serious health problems increase.
Waist measurements of more than 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women increase the risk for certain diseases and conditions. These include heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Genetic link
A study at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston suggests that our waist sizes could be genetic. Researchers believe that the number and location of our fat cells may determine where our bodies store fat. This means obesity patterns could begin very early in life.
Are males at greater risk?
A study at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School suggests that the X chromosome is the reason men usually have more abdominal fat. A woman is normally born with two X chromosomes - one from her mother and one from her father. A man is normally born with just one - from his mother. Researchers believe that the X chromosome prevents us from forming abdominal fat. The problem is that the chromosome from our mothers is often "switched off," leaving men unprotected. Women, however, usually have a second X chromosome that comes from their fathers. This appears to protect many of them from abdominal fat.
The fat we don't see
After menopause, women face another type of health risk: intra-abdominal fat. This fat is not visible. People can have high levels of it and not know it. It's deposited around internal organs inside the abdomen. It puts women at risk for heart disease, diabetes and other conditions. It can raise insulin levels, causing the growth of cancer cells. The only way to detect intra-abdominal fat is through a CT or MRI scan. This is why it's a good idea to continue exercising even when you believe you're in good shape.
A study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center split volunteers into two groups. These women were postmenopausal, inactive and overweight. One group did aerobic exercises for at least 45 minutes a day, five days a week. The other group attended a weekly, hour-long stretching class. The women in the first group lost a large amount of both intra-abdominal and total body fat. The women in the stretching group actually gained intra-abdominal fat.
To burn fat, watch your diet and do cardiovascular exercises like bike riding, brisk walking or aerobics classes. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, most days of the week. Always remember to warm up before exercising and to cool down afterwards.
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External Sources
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National Institutes of Health
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Joslin Diabetes Center
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Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
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This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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