If you are a man and your waistline is over 40 inches, or a woman with a waistline more than 35 inches, you may be facing increased risks of health problems. For nine years, researchers followed the weight and waists of over 100,000 men and women age 50 or older. The consequence of having a larger waistline wasn't promising: over the course of a decade, those with the biggest waists were twice as likely to die from heart disease, cancer and respiratory disorders as those whose waists were slimmest. This held true even for the participants that did not gain weight, but whose body shape shifted to a larger waistline.

The increase in risk may be due to the characteristics of abdominal fat; studies have shown that it secretes proteins and hormones that contribute to inflammation, raise cholesterol levels and interfere with the way the body processes insulin.

The researchers suggest aiming for the ideal waist size of 40 inches or less for men, and 35 inches or less for women. If you follow my anti-inflammatory diet and make it a point to participate in regular, moderate exercise, you can help keep your waistline - and overall body weight - in check.

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