By Sabha Nisar
Being overweight or obese is common in today’s times. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines obesity as ‘abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health’. According to the Health Survey for England (2019), 27% of men and 29% of women were reported obese in the UK. With 59% of men and 69% of women having a higher than desirable waist circumference.
The link between waist circumference and your health
What is the link between waist circumference and your health?
It is a well-known fact that having a high body mass index (BMI) poses a risk of developing cardiovascular or cardiometabolic diseases, but studies have shown that the distribution of weight is equally important. The type of fat that accumulates around the abdominal organs is called ‘visceral fat’.
The excess fat carried around your waist increases the chances of adverse health conditions such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart diseases, diabetes mellitus and some cancers. Knowing your BMI and waist circumference (WC) measure is important for understanding your risk of developing long-term health problems, such as coronary heart disease.
The waist measurement categories
What are the waist measurement categories?
Your risk can vary depending on your gender and ethnicity. Men tend to carry more fat around the abdomen (apple shaped body type) and women more on the hips (pear shaped body type). The WHO stated that a WC > 94 cm in men and > 80 cm in women is associated with an increased risk of metabolic complications and the risk is significantly increased with a WC > 102 cm in men and > 88 cm in women.
The table below shows the recommendations for waist circumference according to your gender and ethnicity.
Recently, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended keeping the size of your waist to less than half of your height, as a simple formula to use and understand.
Measuring your waist
How do you measure your waist?
Experts encourage people to self-measure their waist to know their health risk. This also reduces any sense of discomfort or stigma they might feel from a healthcare professional taking the measurement. Simply apply a measuring tape halfway between the bottom of the ribcage and the top of the hips.
Make sure the tape is straight and sitting firmly but not pulling too tightly – no cheating! Or click on our Healthy heart tip link to measuring your waist circumference.
Once you understand the factors that could impact your health, take action to address them and improve your overall well-being.
Further reading on:
