A lot of women are self-conscious about the extra weight around their waist
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The amount of excess fat around the waist can increase the risk of bowel cancer, scientists have revealed
Women have always been self-conscious about the extra weight around their waist, often referred to as ‘love handles’, now it appears that they have good reason to be.
The study, conducted by researchers at Imperial College London and the University of Leeds, found that the risk increases by 3 per cent for every extra inch around the waist.
The researchers also found that it does not matter whether the rest of the body is of normal weight, the risk is still present.
A guide of healthy waist measurements was released advising that a woman’s waist should measure less than 31.5in (80cm) whilst a man’s waist should come in at less that 37in (94cm).
Dr Marilyn Glenville PhD, a leading nutritionist and author of Fat Around the Middle, said, ‘This latest study adds to the mounting evidence that fat around the middle is a risk factor for a number of serious illnesses including bowel cancers.’
It is estimated that around 38,500 cases of bowel cancer are diagnosed in Britain each year.
By Lauren King
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