Big belly carries large risk to health

Q. My husband has a large stomach but really skinny arms and legs. Since the only area of his body that is large is his stomach, he doesn’t think he really has to exercise. He tells me all he would have to do is a few sit-ups and his stomach would go down. I disagree with him, and I think that his large stomach is a health risk and that he should exercise each day. What are the facts about my husband’s big belly?

A: Excessive fat around the abdominal area — the spare tire, love handles, beer belly or whatever you call it — is the focus of many fitness conversations.

The heath risk in men and women of excessive body fat around the abdominal can range from diabetes, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance to a change in cholesterol levels and sleep apnea. These conditions can be serious, making it important to keep abdominal fat within a healthy range.

It is important to remember that although you might see your abdominals as the “only” problem you have, therefore not needing to exercise other body parts, an excessive amount of body fat in the abdominal region is a threat to the vital organs in that area.

A circumference measured at the waist of not more than 35 inches in women and 40 inches in men are the parameters you want to stay within. If you find yourself close to or over these numbers, you can lower your abdominal body fat with the same methods used to lower overall body fat: exercise and proper nutrition.

Unfortunately, your husband cannot crunch or sit-up his way to lowering his belly fat. Although abdominal exercises will help to strength the muscles in this area and might help burn a few extra calories while exercising, these exercises alone will NOT reduce abdominal fat. An exercise program that includes strength training for all muscle groups in addition to a cardiovascular program that increases the heart rate for at least 40 minutes each day can help to reverse this problem.

Taking care of your overall health is important, with no one body part more important than another. Encourage your husband to begin exercising and eating properly to keep the rest of his body strong and lower his risk from the unhealthy conditions initiated by excessive abdominal fat.