Love handles

"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 sex.

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 accummulate 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.

See also

• body parts slang