如果你感到裤子的腰身有点紧，请引起警惕：腰围增大或可致命。美国癌症协会的一项研究称，即使体重不超标，但是腰围越大，死亡风险越高。

    A large waistline can be deadly for older adults, even those who are not overweight or obese by other measures. One of the largest studies to examine the dangers of abdominal fat suggests men and women with the biggest waistlines have twice the risk of dying over a decade compared to those with the smallest waists.

    Surprisingly, bigger waists carry a greater risk of death even for people whose weight is “normal” by the body mass index, a standard measure based on weight and height. “Even if you haven’t had a noticeable weight gain, if you notice your waist size increasing that’s an important sign,” said lead author Eric Jacobs of the American Cancer Society, which funded the study. “It’s time to eat better and start exercising more.”

    Bulging bellies are a problem for most Americans older than 50. It is estimated that more than half of older men and more than 70 percent of older women have bigger waistlines than recommended. It is a growing problem: Average waistlines have expanded by about an inch per decade since the 1960s.

    To check one’s girth, wrap a tape measure around the waist at the navel. Men should have a waist circumference no larger than 102 centimeters. For women, the limit is 89 inches.