<P> Hypercortisolism, such as in Cushing's syndrome, also leads to central obesity . Many prescription drugs, such as dexamethasone and other steroids, can also have side effects resulting in central obesity, especially in the presence of elevated insulin levels . </P> <P> The prevalence of abdominal obesity is increasing in western populations, possibly due to a combination of low physical activity and high - calorie diets, and also in developing countries, where it is associated with the urbanization of populations . </P> <P> Waist measurement is more prone to errors than measuring height and weight . It is recommended to use both standards . BMI will illustrate the best estimate of your total body fatness, while waist measurement gives an estimate of visceral fat and risk of obesity - related disease . </P> <P> A study has shown that alcohol consumption is directly associated with waist circumference and with a higher risk of abdominal obesity in men, but not in women . Excluding energy under - reporters slightly attenuated these associations . After controlling for energy under - reporting, it was observed that increasing alcohol consumption significantly increased the risk of exceeding recommended energy intakes in male participants--but not in the small number of female participants (2.13%) with elevated alcohol consumption, even after establishing a lower number of drinks per day to characterize women as consuming a high quantity of alcohol . Further study is needed to determine whether a significant relationship between alcohol consumption and abdominal obesity exists among women who consume higher amounts of alcohol . </P>

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