U.S. Waistlines Keep Expanding

Americans' waistlines are getting bigger. A new study finds the average American has a waistline of almost 39 inches.

Researchers at the Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention studied nearly 33,000 adults from 1999 until 2012. The CDC says researchers can't explain why waistlines are growing, even though body mass index, which is based on height-weight ratios, have been stabilized.

Researchers are concerned because extra belly fat is linked to higher risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, and diabetes.

[Metro Networks]