A new study has shown that many women struggle to carry out normal everyday tasks, such as picking up items off the floor, because they are carrying around a large amount of abdominal fat.
The survey was commissioned by the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk (ICCR) and looked at the wellbeing of 2,000 overweight men and women. It found that the everyday wellness of many women was being compromised by their weight.
For example, the study showed that one in ten women were unable to tie their shoelaces with ease, because bending down was challenging due to the abdominal fat which was inconveniently in the way.
A clear link was found to exercise, however, as a third of the women surveyed also admitted that they never taken any exercise. This is despite clear government guidelines that recommend that women should do 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every week.
On top of this, fat stored around the waist is actually more dangerous than other types of fat. Waist measurements have been shown to be linked to a number of dangerous health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, stroke and coronary heart disease. Yet by making some simple changes to their lifestyle, women could reduce the size of their waist and seriously improve their overall health.
For example, women could take 30 minutes of exercise per day, drink a lot of water and eat a healthy balanced diet, and would find that their waistline – along with any health concerns – would simply melt away. Even if you have a BMI that is in a healthy range, you could still be abdominally obese. Don’t rely on a simple BMI test, and don’t even rely on the number that comes up on your weighing scales.
Look at yourself in the mirror, and you will most likely be able to see if your waist is out of proportion to your body. Measure your waist – if you are more than 80cm (for women) or 94cm (for men) the chances are that you are putting your internal organs at risk.