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20/04/2010
97% Unaware Of 'Muffin Top' Health Risks
Most people have no idea that rolls of fat around their waistline are putting them at increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, a poll reveals.
While being overweight or obese in general poses a health hazard, concentrated fat deposits around the midriff – commonly nicknamed spare tyres or muffin tops – are particularly dangerous.
Excess weight in that area generates increased production of the hormone, oestrogen, and other chemicals in the stomach, which put people at higher risk of killer diseases.
In all, 97% of people were unaware of a link despite 71% of those surveyed saying they had an expanding waistline.
When asked to pinpoint the waist measurement that causes them to tip over into the risk category, more than half of people overestimated it.
Women are at risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease if their waist measures more than 31.5 inches while men are at risk at more than 37in.
Three leading UK charities are launching a new Active Fat campaign to raise awareness of the dangers.
Dr Mike Knapton, of the British Heart Foundation charity which is working alongside Cancer Research UK and Diabetes UK, said: "That 'harmless' spare tyre around your waist is actually a major health hazard.
"While you might be relaxing at home, your fat cells are working overtime to pump out excess hormones and other chemicals that can cause disease.
"Wrapping a tape measure around your middle takes just a few seconds, but it could be your vital first step towards a healthier future."
Despite dieting and weight-watching typically perceived as a female obsession, today’s poll actually found that women were less likely than men to worry about the health consequences of their muffin top, with 41% of women admitting it concerned them compared to 50% of men.
However, women were more likely to worry about how they look (28% versus 18%) and fitting into their clothes (18% versus 9%). However, less than half of men and women (44%) had tried to do more exercise as a way of combating their flab.
Some 27% of people had bought bigger sized clothes, 15% covered up on the beach and 12% avoided weighing themselves altogether.
As part of the campaign, the charities are calling for single labelling on foods, putting into action a standard "traffic lights" system for nutrition.
The survey of more than 2,000 people was commissioned by Diabetes UK, Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation.
(LB/GK)
While being overweight or obese in general poses a health hazard, concentrated fat deposits around the midriff – commonly nicknamed spare tyres or muffin tops – are particularly dangerous.
Excess weight in that area generates increased production of the hormone, oestrogen, and other chemicals in the stomach, which put people at higher risk of killer diseases.
In all, 97% of people were unaware of a link despite 71% of those surveyed saying they had an expanding waistline.
When asked to pinpoint the waist measurement that causes them to tip over into the risk category, more than half of people overestimated it.
Women are at risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease if their waist measures more than 31.5 inches while men are at risk at more than 37in.
Three leading UK charities are launching a new Active Fat campaign to raise awareness of the dangers.
Dr Mike Knapton, of the British Heart Foundation charity which is working alongside Cancer Research UK and Diabetes UK, said: "That 'harmless' spare tyre around your waist is actually a major health hazard.
"While you might be relaxing at home, your fat cells are working overtime to pump out excess hormones and other chemicals that can cause disease.
"Wrapping a tape measure around your middle takes just a few seconds, but it could be your vital first step towards a healthier future."
Despite dieting and weight-watching typically perceived as a female obsession, today’s poll actually found that women were less likely than men to worry about the health consequences of their muffin top, with 41% of women admitting it concerned them compared to 50% of men.
However, women were more likely to worry about how they look (28% versus 18%) and fitting into their clothes (18% versus 9%). However, less than half of men and women (44%) had tried to do more exercise as a way of combating their flab.
Some 27% of people had bought bigger sized clothes, 15% covered up on the beach and 12% avoided weighing themselves altogether.
As part of the campaign, the charities are calling for single labelling on foods, putting into action a standard "traffic lights" system for nutrition.
The survey of more than 2,000 people was commissioned by Diabetes UK, Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation.
(LB/GK)
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