Gravity and time are not necessarily our friends, especially when it comes to a healthy body image. When a layer of subcutaneous fat forms over the lower abdominal and stomach area, the result is a largely unappealing roll of skin known as love handles, muffin tops or even Dunlap's disease, a condition formed whenever abdominal fat "done laps" over a person's waistband.

Love handles have been described in popular literature since the 1960s, and has been a term traditionally applied to the flaps of excess abdominal skin and fat which tend to indicate a poor diet or lack of exercise. Various exercise and diet plans of the 1970s and 1980s vowed to get rid of those unwanted love handles, primarily through abdominal strengthening exercises which targeted the side or oblique muscle groups. Traditional sit-ups or crunches may address overall abdominal fat, but specific twisting or side-to-side exercises were believed to tighten the obliques and therefore reduce the appearance of love handles.

Further research into the love handles phenomenon, however, showed that most targeted abdominal exercises had little actual effect on the love handles themselves. The muscles below the fat deposits may become stronger, but the rolls of skin and subcutaneous fat do not necessarily shrink as a direct result of targeted exercise. An overall change in diet accompanied by an increase in general aerobic exercise and conditioning actually had more of an effect on the abdominal area.

Some sources suggest the phrase love handles refers to the soft and accommodating areas of a romantic partner's stomach area accessible during a hug or embrace. Others suggest that love handles provide a partner with additional traction or support during lovemaking. Other terms such as spare tire, middle age spread or muffin top also describe the overflow of abdominal flesh as a person's body shape changes over time.

There are some people who embrace these changes and accept their love handles, potbellies or turkey wings as inevitable signs of aging. Others see the formation of love handles as a wake-up call to begin a more aggressive exercise regimen or a stricter diet plan. In reality, the reduction of love handles is a slow process at best, depending more on a reduction in overall fat intake than any abdominal exercise program on the market.

Some studies seem to indicate that carrying a spare tire or excessive love handles may double a person's risk of premature death, either from cardiovascular diseases or complications from weight-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Men and women over the age of 40 should consult with their personal physicians to determine a safe diet and exercise plan in order to reduce abdominal fat and improve their chances of avoiding long-term medical complications triggered by excess body weight.