Heavy Weight Can Lead to Heavy Breathing

When it comes to weight, not all fat is equal. Though you might look in the mirror and grimace at the extra padding on your rear or thighs, when it comes to health, belly fat is the bigger culprit. And now we're hearing that a big waistline can reduce your lung function.

Fat in your mid-section is called visceral fat, and it's more metabolically active than the subcutaneous fat found elsewhere in the body. Visceral fat has long been linked with high cholesterol and insulin resistance. Reduced lung function is just one more reason why we should all stop loving our love handles.

The reasons for reduced lung function aren't exactly known. Perhaps the lungs have less room to expand because of increased belly size or the inflammatory effects of visceral fat could be impairing lung function.


When it comes to waist size, how big is too big? For the purposes of one study, researchers defined abdominal obesity as 35 inches or greater for women and 40 inches or greater for men. You can measure your waist by placing a tape measure snugly around your bare abdomen, just above your hip bone. (Just for fun, check and see how your waist measures up to these celebs!)

If your belly is bigger than you'd like, what can you do? You can certainly do crunches and other toning exercises to get your abs in shape, but that won't do a thing for your belly fat. When it comes to weight loss, there's no such thing as spot reduction. But don't despair! When you pair healthy eating (and calorie control) with an active lifestyle and consistent exercise, you'll lose your excess pounds -- including those that are lingering around your belly.