Want a smaller waist? Try replacing your grains
If you’re striving to reduce your waist size, consider swapping refined grains in your diet for whole grains.
According to a study of 2,834 middle-aged Americans, those who consumed the most whole-grain foods had a significantly smaller waist circumference.
Having a large waist circumference – 94 centimetres (37 inches) or greater for men and 80 cm (31.5 inches) or greater for women – increases the likelihood of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, heart attack, stroke, metabolic syndrome and some cancers.
Waist circumference is a good measure of visceral fat, the type of deep fat that packs itself around the organs and secretes chemicals that increase the body’s resistance to the hormone insulin and cause inflammation throughout the body.