RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—If your waistline exceeds 40 inches, and you’re one to ride the escalator rather than walk the stairs, your sex life could be paying the price, according to a new study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
THE DETAILS: Researchers sifted through data on nearly 4,000 men, and found that a high waist circumference (more than 40 inches) or an obese body mass index (BMI of 30 or more) was linked to a 50 percent higher risk of having erectile dysfunction (ED), compared to those with a smaller waistline or a normal-range BMI. Moderately active or inactive men (those doing less than 150 minutes a week of physical activity) faced 40 to 60 percent greater odds of ED, compared to the active men. Researchers concluded that regardless of BMI, getting 150 minutes a week of moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, and keeping your waist size at or below 40 inches, are both associated with healthy erections (no Viagra required).
WHAT IT MEANS: About 30 million men in the United States have erectile dysfunction; this study shows that number could shrink if men’s waistlines do. And that’s on top of the other benefits of losing weight, such as reductions in the risks of heart disease, diabetes, heart attack, and cancer.
Here are some strategies for shrinking your waist size:
Get moving. Getting just two and a half hours of exercise every week can make a healthy difference, according to the researchers. If that sounds like a lot to fit into your busy schedule, work some functional activity—like brisk walking or yard work—into your daily routine. On hectic days, break your exercise sessions into smaller steps; take the stairs at work, use the upstairs bathroom, run errands on foot or by bicycle when you can.
• Snack on nuts. Eat two handfuls of walnuts, peanuts, or almonds every day. The monounsaturated fat can boost testosterone levels, and nuts are also rich in arginine, an amino acid that improves blood flow and may help ED symptoms. Eat them slowly; another recent study suggests that small bites and slow eating help you feel fuller while eating less.
• Measure it right. It’s a good idea to gauge the size of your waist correctly, so you know where you’re starting and how much you have to lose. To properly do this, place a tape measure around your bare abdomen about at your hipbone (just below the navel). Make sure the tape is snug but doesn’t push into your skin, and is parallel to the floor. Exhale, relax, and measure your waist. Men should shoot for a waist size of 40 inches or less. For women, a waist smaller than 35 inches is ideal, according to the National Institutes of Health.