If you've been worrying about the snugness of your belt ever since hearing that theory about tight belts being responsible for increased esophageal cancer occurrences in men, here's some good news for you.

New research shows that the theory, which was suggested by an Italian research team in 2002, isn't true after all. It made sense, since tight belts squeeze the stomach and in doing so increase acid reflux into the esophagus. Acid reflux increases the risk of esophageal cancer. But a new study specifically looking for a relationship between wearing tight belts and increased rates of esophageal cancer found no link at all.

So relax, and stop wearing those suspenders to work every day. But don't forget that there's still lots of other reasons to lose a few pounds if your belt is cutting into your stomach because you're overweight.