Abdominal obesity may result in a greater risk of COPD and asthma in pre and post-menopausal women, concludes a recent study by a team of South Korean researchers. The study, published in Menopause, demonstrated that high BMI and waist circumference were found to significantly increase the risk of declined lung functions, leading to COPD and asthma. Tthe researchers pointed out that being underweight was also identified as a risk factor for COPD in postmenopausal women, suggesting that controlling weight and maintaining a healthy body shape are key to helping prevent COPD and asthma in women as female hormones are a contributing factor to the greater incidence of lung diseases.