Big Waist? Expect Problems Below It

Today's news item would hardly be worth a nod--except that it reinforces a key point about the health risks of wearing really big pants that's worth mentioning.

This study in 50 words or less
New data suggests that as men's waistlines exceed 36 inches in circumference, their risk of what urologists call "pelvic dysfunction"--including such joys as a growing prostate, difficulty peeing, difficulty getting erections and ejaculating, even high PSA levels--increases proportionately.

Yes, but. . .
The study group was small (88 men average age of 62) and the study isn't published or peer-reviewed (it was presented at an American Urological Association meeting). It's not a clinical trail--they couldn't randomize guys to make some really fat to see what happened to life below the belt--so it can only show a link at best. Power to drive lifestyle decision: D.

So what are you going to do about it?
If you're a man with a waist larger than 40 inches, lose weight, and lose belly fat. If your belly measures 36 to 40 inches, you still should work it off.

Why this matters
A big waist circumference is one component of what doctors call metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of symptoms (including elevated blood glucose levels, high blood pressure and low HDL cholesterol) that are linked to higher risk for heart disease, diabetes and death. This study simply adds several more good reasons to control your waist size.

And notice I say "waist size," not "weight." For more on that distinction, see this article that explains the predictive value of waist circumference as it compares to the far-more-widely-used-and-abused BMI (body mass index).

Short version: Guys with a waist bigger than 40, and women with a waist bigger than 35, have seriously elevated risks of winding up in a hospital bed or worse.