This article or section does not cite its references or sources.
You can help Wikipedia by introducing appropriate citations.
"Love handles" is a colloquial or slang term for a layer of fat that is deposited around a person's midsection, especially visible on the sides, which is believed to have some resemblance to handles. The term is mildly prurient, as the name suggests that these 'handles' are conducive to "love making".
Love handles are more common in men than women, as the midsection is one of the first regions where fat is stored in the male body (women tend to accumulate fat around the hips and thighs). Love handles generally become more pronounced as a person ages and approaches middle age.
Both men and women tend to be image conscious around love handles, as they develop quite often in almost everybody, and this can sometimes lead to a negative body image.
While many products are targeted at eliminating love handles, it is generally agreed that spot reduction is impossible, and the best way to reduce them is to lose fat through cardiovascular exercise and a healthy diet. However, love handles are also regulated by genes, so past a certain point of exercising and dieting, the rest is in the luck of the draw.
See also
Categories: Articles lacking sources | Anatomy stubs | Abdomen
