Don't Waist Away
By Teresa Ambord
There used to be an old wives' tale circulating that said you may be able to tell a person's overall health by whether their sides were heavy. It turns out there is a lot of truth in that, at least in terms of heart health. The reason is that fat carried in the abdomen is more likely to be a cause of heart disease. Concentrations of abdominal fat are also linked to increased risk of breast cancer and type 2 diabetes.
Comparing Apples and Pears
The Centers for Disease Control say that obesity rates, which vary from state to state are between 15 and 24 percent of the population most everywhere, and greater than 25 percent in four states. That's alarming, but what is more important than total body fat is where the extra pounds are carried. A person with a large amount of abdominal fat often has what is known as an "apple shape," meaning that the roundest part of the body is the waist. For an apple-shaped man, we might say he is carrying a "spare tire." Those whose hips and thighs are their largest points are said to be "pear shaped."
This is why doctors are now saying that a tape measure is a better predictor of your overall health than a scale is. It's also easier than calculating your body mass index (BMI) which is based on your height and weight and indirectly measures your total body fat.
In a survey of 10,000 participants, waist size was found to be a better predictor of blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.all of which are risk factors relating to heart disease.
So pull out the old tape measure and take a look. For women, a waist that measures 32 inches spells significant risk, while for a man, 37 inches is an equally bad. Once a woman's waist reaches 35 inches or a man's reaches 40 inches, that person is facing incredibly high risk.
Web MD Medical News recommends that men strive for waistlines of 35 inches or smaller, while women should strive for waistlines of 33 inches or smaller in order to achieve a normal body fat level or BMI, as well as lower heart risk.
Log onto the Web site of the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases to read more about the health risks of being overweight.
The Centers for Disease Control gives this guideline on how to take an accurate waistline circumference:
With a tape measure, comfortably measure the distance around the smallest area below the rib cage and above the umbilicus (belly button).