Women’s risk of infertility increases by 3% for every extra 1cm of fat they have on their waist, major US study warns

A woman’s risk of infertility increases by three percent for every extra centimeter she has around her waist, according to a study.

Researchers analyzed data on 3,200 women in the US aged between 18 and 45, who were asked about their fertility history and who provided information about their health and how much they exercised.

Infertility was defined by women who answered ‘yes’ when asked if they had been trying to get pregnant for a year without any success.

Analysis revealed that waist circumference was linked to infertility – for every 1cm increase, the risk of infertility increased by three percent.

Women who had a waist circumference of 60cm had the lowest infertility rates, while women whose waists measured 160cm and above were most likely to report infertility.

Participants who had the highest waist circumference had more than double the risk of infertility than those at the other end of the scale.

However, ‘moderate recreational activities’ appeared to reverse the effect in women with a waist circumference over 113.5cm.

According to the CDC, moderate activity will raise your heart rate, make you breathe faster and break a sweat.

Examples of moderate-intensity activities include brisk walking – where you’re still able to talk, but not sing.

Writing in the journal Plos One, the team, from Huizhou Central People’s Hospital in China, said: ‘Waist circumference is a positive predictor of female infertility, independent of BMI.

‘Women trying to conceive may increase their chances of getting pregnant by monitoring their waist circumference and engaging in moderate recreational activities.’

Figures suggest the average waist size for women in the UK is 89cm – a figure that has been rising over the last few decades due to soaring rates of obesity.

A larger waist can also increase the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes, data suggests.