A new measurement to predict and prevent your early death

Researchers have found a thick midsection, specifically "waist circumference (WC)," may up your chances of dying earlier from "any cause."

Eric J. Jacobs, PhD, and a team of researchers at the American Cancer Society in Atlanta published their findings in the August 9/23 online edition of the peer-reviewed journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

The researchers noted that WC is a critical risk factor that should be monitored in adults aged 50+.

"Adjusting for body mass index (BMI) and other risk factors, very large waists (120 centimeters or 47 inches or larger in men, and 110 centimeters or 42 inches or larger in women) were associated with approximately twice the risk of death during the study period," according to an American Cancer Society announcement on August 9.

"A larger waist was associated with higher risk of death across all categories of BMI, including normal weight, overweight and obese; however, among women, the association was strongest for those at a normal weight."

Health professionals promote a number of ways including diet, exercise and medical interventions to help those battling with obesity extend their life.

If you find your WC measurement is in a ‘danger zone' you might want to try getting in shape with the latest trend built to whittle away your midsection bulge, hulu hooping.

There are weighted hoop options like Acu Hoop ($35/€28.54), Wavy Hoop ($15/€12.23), or Fire Groove Hoops ($34.99/€28.53) to help you shrink your WC.

And American actress Marisa Tomei launches her HoopBody fit kit ($39.98/€32.60), a weighted 40-inch hoop with three workouts on a 90-minute DVD, produced with the green healthy lifestyle brand Gaiam on August 20.

Full study, "Waist Circumference and All-Cause Mortality in a Large US Cohort": http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/170/15/1293