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

According to a study, a woman's risk of infertility increases by three percent for every additional inch she has around her waist.

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

Infertility was defined by women who answered “yes” to the question of whether they had been trying to get pregnant for a year without any success.

Analyzes showed that waist circumference was linked to infertility: for every centimeter increase, the risk of infertility increased by three percent.

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

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

However, in women with a waist circumference of more than 113.5 cm, 'moderate recreational activities' seemed to reverse the effect.

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

Examples of moderate-intensity activities include brisk walking, where you can still talk but not sing.

The team from Huizhou Central People's Hospital in China wrote in the journal Plos One: 'Waist circumference is a positive predictor of female infertility, independent of BMI.

'Women trying to conceive can increase their chances of becoming pregnant by monitoring their waist circumference and engaging in moderate recreational activities.'

Figures show that the average waist size for women in Britain is 89cm – a figure that has risen in recent decades due to rising obesity rates.

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