To Breathe Easier, Trim Down the Belly Fat

When that "spare tire" around your belly inflates with abdominal fat, it gets harder to inflate your lungs, scientists found in a recent study. Scientists at the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research discovered a strong connection between accumulation of abdominal fat and reduced lung function. The study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, speculates that the reduction in lung function is the result of a mechanical effect—that is, excess abdominal fat weighs down the chest and takes up space that the lungs could use to inflate more fully.

How are you supposed to be able to judge whether you're carrying too much body fat? Health care professionals have an easy-to-use system called the Body Mass Index (BMI). Your BMI is a number calculated from your weight and height. Your doctor should be able to provide this number, and charts and automatic calculators like the one provided here are easy to find on the Internet—just conduct a search on the term "Body Mass Index."

What Your BMI Means

• For adults, a BMI of less than 18.5 means you are underweight.
• Adults with a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 fall in the healthy weight range.
• If you have a BMI of 25 or greater, talk to your doctor about starting a weight loss program.

Find out if you're at risk for reduced lung function or other chronic conditions