The “Godfather of Fitness,” Jack LaLanne coined the phrase, “Your waistline is your lifeline” in the 1940s. LaLanne, who opened the nation’s first modern health studio in 1936 and promoted preventative health through “clean” eating and exercise, was decades ahead of his time.

Today, experts warn that a large waistline is more harmful to your heart than extra padding on your hips. A growing number of Americans now sport this unhealthy “apple shaped” torso, according to latest statistics form the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.)

The average waist circumference for men is now 40.2 inches, up from the 39 inches recorded in the last survey, which was done in 1999-2000. Women’s waist measurements also rose, from an average of 36.3 to 38.6 inches.

This means that a majority of Americans now have belly sizes that put them at high risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, inflammation, stroke, diabetes, and even certain types of cancer, says Dr. Gabe Mirkin, a sports medicine expert form Orlando, Florida.

“You are at high risk from premature death if you can pinch more than three inches in your belly,” he says.

Experts at Harvard Medical School agree that our expanding waistlines are a dangerous trend.

“As your waistline expands, so does your risk of cardiovascular disease,” explains Dr. Osama Hamdy, medical director of the Obesity Clinical Program at Harvard-affiliated Joslin Diabetes Center. Belly fat — what doctors refer to as visceral fat — is different from the fat that settles in the hips and thighs.

Visceral fat accumulates deep in the abdominal cavity, padding the space between the organs. When these fatty cells break down, they send fatty acids and other substances into the portal vein that carries blood into the lever. This results in lipotoxicity, a condition that affects the nearby pancreas, hampering its ability to produce insulin.

Lipotoxicity promotes insulin resistance which means that the body’s muscle and liver cells don’t respond efficiently to normal levels of insulin. As a result, blood sugar levels rise, boosting the risk of type 2 diabetes.

In addition, when these misplaced fat cells die, cells that serve as the cleanup crew release inflammatory substances called cytokines.

“These cytokines are one reason people develop atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of cardiovascular disease,” says Hamdy.

To measure your waistline, exhale and wrap a measuring tape around your bare abdomen just above the upper border of your hipbone. A measurement that signals high risk for women is 35 inches or more, while for men it is 40 inches or more.

According to Dr. Hamdy, a reduced-carbohydrate diet may be helpful in reducing belly fat. Stay away from foods that spike blood sugar levels, he says. These three sources are the major culprits:

• Sugar. Anything made with added sugar such as cookies, cakes, pastries, soft drinks and canned drinks are no-noes. “Sugar-added foods cause much higher rises in blood sugar than the sugar found in fruits and vegetables,” says Mirkin.
• White flour. The most commonly consumed and the worst offenders are what Dr. Hamdy refers to as the “P’s” and “B’s”: pasta, pizza, bread and bagels.
• Starchy foods. These include white potatoes, rice and corn.

Intermittent fasting or what is also called time-restricted eating may also improve your body’s insulin response and reduce visceral fat. The basic idea is to limit your food intake to a short time frame. For example, you may choose to eat between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. and then fast until the next morning. The idea is to abstain from eating for at least 14 hours from the last meal of the day. Hamdy suggests doing this for three days a week and then eating on your regular schedule the other four days.

Mirkin adds that regular, daily exercise that involves muscle movement — such aerobic activity and resistance training, helps lower blood sugar and increases insulin sensitivity. Exercise also helps burn calories and helps preserve muscle mass.