Why weight training is better for your waistline than running: A new Harvard study has found that weight training is a better way of keeping the middle-aged spread at bay than aerobic activity

The Telegraph reports:

According to a new study, weight training is the most effective way of keeping abdominal fat in check, compared to other activities such as running or cycling.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health measured the activity levels of over 10,000 men aged 40-plus, monitoring their weight and waist circumference over a 12-year period.


They found that those men who spent an extra 20 minutes a day weight training gained less abdominal weight over the course of the study than men who increased the amount of time they spent doing aerobic exercise.

Combining weight training with aerobic exerise led to even better results, the study found.

Frank Hu of Harvard School of Public Health said: "This study underscores the importance of weight training in reducing abdominal obesity, especially among the elderly.

An article well worth your time.