Love Handles

Love handles, in colloquial or slang speech, are a layer of fat that is deposited around a person's midsection, especially visible on the sides over the abdominal external oblique muscle.

The term first appeared in the late 1960s, and is defined in the Historical Dictionary of American Slang as a bulge of fat at the side of the waist.

Both men and women tend to be image-conscious regarding love handles, sometimes leading to a negative body image. While many products are marketed for eliminating love handles, it is generally agreed that spot reduction is impossible, and that the best way to reduce them is to lose fat by being more active (through activities such as cardiovascular exercise and weight training) and consuming fewer calories.

In July 2007 The Washington Post published an article simply titled "Love Handles" which claimed that, while weight gain was once blamed on genes inherited from one's parents, a study had shown that people were 57% more likely to become obese if a friend did first.

Love handles are also colloquially called a spare tire due to the enlarged tire-like shape around the midsection. Other synonyms are midriff bulge, muffin top and belt overhang.