Men looking for a way to slim down at the waistline might have an added, though unexpected, weapon. Drinking Tea. A study presented at the First International Congress on Abdominal Obesity finds that men who drink over 2 cups of tea a day have slimmer waistlines than those who drink coffee or nothing at all.
It's not the same for women.
Earlier research had examined coffee and tea drinking habits and obesity, but not much is known about what beverage we choose and how this contributes to the weight we carry around the belly.
This latest study involved 3,823 adults who were part of the 2003-04 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a program of studies created to assess the health and nutrition of adults and children in the U.S. The unique thing about this survey is that it combines interviews and physical exams.
The researchers found that coffee drinking wasn't related to abdominal obesity in either men or women, even after adjusting for other risk factors. Using sugar instead of artificial sweeteners did appear to have a role in fat in this area.
In men, the use of sugar in tea was linked to a nearly 1 inch smaller waistline - the use of artificial sweeteners was associated to a nearly 2 inch larger waist measurement. In women, using milk in tea was linked to a 2/3-inch smaller waistline - but those who used artificial sweeteners had a 1-inch larger, on average, waist measurement.
"The potential association between coffee/tea and abdominal obesity is not trivial considering that more than 60% of the adult population drinks coffee/tea, that these beverages can be consumed as frequently as 10 times per day, and that a high percentage of coffee and tea drinkers use additives in these beverages," explains D. R. Bouchard of the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.
Fat at the waistline, beyond making you look and feel bad, has also been tied to more than a few serious health risks, conditions like heart disease and diabetes, as well as high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and degenerative diseases like arthritis and spondylosis.
Known to your doctor as visceral fat, fat in this area has been shown to be more biologically active, bringing on inflammation and affecting the liver. Worse yet, large belly fat cells release more toxins and waste products that can get tucked in between internal organs, turning on the immune system.
The link between tea drinking and a slim waist calls for more study. In the meantime, men especially might benefit from replacing a cup (or two) of coffee with tea, or adding tea to your beverage intake and watching what happens to your waistline.
You might also want to up your intake of unprocessed, natural foods and make sure you're getting regular exercise to make a more serious dent in any fat you're carrying around the middle.
Remember too that in the end, it doesn't matter where your fat is located - carrying more than you should is not good for your heart. You should take steps to reduce the demands you're placing on this very vital organ by giving your body good for you nutrients and also making healthier lifestyle choices. Drinking tea is an easy change to incorporate.
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