Womens asthma risk linked to waist size.

I came across this interesting report on the risk for women of becoming asthmatics because of their waist size.

A study suggests apple-shaped women with a waist bigger than 88cm have a higher risk of developing asthma - even if they have a normal body weight.

Being overweight is well known to raise your risk. But the latest study suggests that the amount of weight women carry around the abdomen might be particularly important.

The study, by the Northern California Cancer Centre at Berkeley, appears in the journal Thorax. The researchers analyzed data on 88,304 female teachers and school administrators.

The results showed that overweight women were 40% more likely to have asthma than women of a normal weight, more than twice as likely in obese women, and more than three times as likely in extremely obese women than in those of normal body weight. But perhaps more surprisingly, the researchers also found that women of normal body weight, but with a waist circumference of more than 88cm were also at increased risk - around a third higher than those with a smaller waist.

Body mass index (BMI) has been widely used as a standard measure of obesity.

But some researchers argue that waist circumference may be a more useful measure because it more closely reflects levels of visceral fat deposits found around the body's organs.

Visceral fat is metabolically different from other types of fat found in the body, and may have different - and more profound - effects on health. "Visceral fat is metabolically more active - it can produce compounds that may cause inflammation. Inflammation may then be related to asthma."

So women of all ages should check their waist measurements. If you are over the 88cm's then you may be at risk of developing asthma as well as other health related problems, heart disease, type 11 diabetes.

If you fall into this catagory then click on the link to request a free consultation and let me show you how I can help you reduce your risk and have a better quality of life

Free consultation for asthma sufferers

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