HY 05/06: The Big Gut | Lehigh Valley Hospital

Why men should do something about their ‘spare tire’

If you have five middle-aged men around a table enjoying poker, beer and snacks, it’s a good bet some of them have a big belly, feel sluggish and think about losing weight. But it’s an even better bet no one’s talking about that, says therapist Tom Miller of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network.

“Unlike women, who speak openly about their bodies, men are less likely to accept weight gain or discuss it,” Miller says. “They deny that their bodies are changing for the worse, and they don’t feel much pressure to deal with it. Our society is more accepting of extra pounds on men.”

Those extra pounds are a fact of life. As men age, their metabolism slows, they’re usually less active, and bad eating habits catch up with them. The result is a big belly—the so-called apple shape—and that kind of overweight is particularly unhealthy, says Miller’s colleague, cardiologist Jason Fragin, D.O. “It leads to a condition called metabolic syndrome,” he says. “This cluster of symptoms—including weight around the middle, high blood pressure and high cholesterol—raises your risk for both type 2 diabetes and heart disease.”

How do you know if your belly is too big? First, check your waistline (see how-to at right) to see if you’re at risk for metabolic syndrome, says family physician Brian Stello, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. Second, calculate your body-mass index (BMI), the proportion of height to weight (see Want to Know More, below).

If your BMI and waistline are too big, it’s time to lose the belly. The good news is that it’s easier to shed weight here than elsewhere in the body. “Losing as little as 5-10 pounds has a positive effect on your health,” Stello says. “Do it with lifestyle changes, especially healthier eating and regular exercise. This is a better way to lose weight and keep it off than fad diets or diet pills.”

What it boils down to is this, Stello says: Men have to recognize they need to stop taking in more calories than they burn day-to-day. “Many find it easier to live the ‘good’ life and worry about their weight later,” he says. “But if your belly has grown, take action now to protect your heart and your overall health in the long term.”