Is cardio or weightlifting better for busting belly fat?

The battle over whether cardio or weightlifting is more important has raged fierce and furious, but a recent study says that cardio comes out ahead.

Duke University researchers compared aerobic exercise, like jogging, against strength training and a combo of both in 196 overweight, sedentary adults aged 18 to 70.

Those who ran — 12 miles at 80 percent of their max heart rate, in case you're wondering — lost the most belly fat, burning 67 percent more calories.

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Even more appealing, however, is that those who both jogged and lifted weights lost a similar amount. That combo is generally considered ideal for health, because it includes the benefits of strength training — which helps prevent osteoporosis, give you more energy, and promote long-term weight control. 

This question's more important than just vanity, because visceral and liver fat is the most dangerous to your body. In fact, many doctors recommend measuring both your BMI and your waist, because having a waist larger than 35 inches raises a woman's risk of heart disease, diabetes and breast cancer.