With a rising prevalence of asthma in the US, who would have guessed it might be associated with expanding waistlines? A study of more than 88,000 women teachers in California found that those who were overweight had a 40% higher risk for asthma compared to normal weight women. Interestingly, after adjusting for smoking, age, and ethnicity women with waist measurements larger than 35.2 inches had significantly higher risk for asthma–even if they were normal weight. Visceral fat is associated with inflammatory processes, and asthma is an inflammatory condition of the airways.
PositiveTip: Go easy on the high-calorie foods and be physically active daily. It could help reduce your risk of asthma!