Obesity is associated with many serious health problems and conditions. Recently, abdominal obesity, as measured by body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, has been associated with an increased risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. This information was obtained through a new study done by The North American Menopause Society. Based on previous data, it is known that women’s lung function is damaged more easily and more severely, and the risk of developing lung diseases such as COPD is greater than that observed among men. Women are more likely to be hospitalized for conditions such as asthma. Female sex hormones are thought to contribute to this risk. Furthermore, as a result of smoking, women’s lung function declines significantly more than men’s. Obesity itself has been shown to increase the risk of developing these obstructive airways diseases and can lead to a more rapid decline in lung function. The incidence of COPD in obese patients is significantly higher than in people of normal body weight. In addition to this, the gender of obese women carries a more serious risk than that of men. More than one million women were included in the new study. Thanks to this body of data, the effect of body mass index and waist circumference on the development of COPD and asthma in premenopausal and postmenopausal women was determined. In conclusion, the researchers report that, regardless of whether a woman is pre- or post-menopausal, a high body mass index and waist circumference significantly increase the risk of developing lung diseases such as COPD and asthma. They noticed that the higher the body mass index and waist circumference, the greater the risk. Another thing that has been found is that being underweight in postmenopausal women is also a risk factor for the onset of COPD. Therefore, controlling body mass and maintaining good body shape are of great importance in preventing COPD and asthma among women. The results of the study were published in the journal Menopause. Sources: http://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/press-release/obesity-and-airway-obstructive-diseases.pdf