how do you measure your waist circumference?
It's easy breezy!
Place a measuring tape at the level of your belly button for consistency.
Make sure the tape is snug but does not compress the skin.
Measure right after you exhale.
what does your waist circumference mean?
Regardless of your height or BMI:
Consider a workup for improving your health and wellness when your waist is more than:
Women: 31.5 inches (80cm)
Men: 37 inches (94cm)
A workup is necessary to improve your health and wellness when your waist is more than:
Women: > 35 inches (88cm)
Men: >40 inches (102cm)
Increased weight circumference or a larger waistline means you tend to have “sick fat” or visceral fat. Visceral fat is gained around your abdominal organs instead of your hip and thigh area. This "sick fat" causes inflammation resulting in increased metabolic risk and mortality, creating the apple type body shape.
Your waist circumference is an independent measure of your risk for diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer and even life expectancy. If you have a normal BMI, you can still have an increased metabolic risk if you tend to distribute your weight around your abdomen (or apple shaped). Conversely you can be metabolically healthy even if your BMI is within the overweight category if your waist circumference is normal (or pear shaped).
waist circumference in weight loss
Your waist circumference can be a useful tool in weight loss. Anyone that has attempted weight loss understands the feeling of stagnation and frustration when you don't see your scale change. Don’t fret! If you already made changes to your nutrition and lifestyle, check your waist circumference. If your waist circumference is decreasing despite minimal or no change in your scale, you are still improving your overall health and wellness. This point is even more pertinent when your BMI is less than 35.
The obesity-trained physicians through pillarMD may ask you for your waist circumference. Keep in mind that your waist circumference is only 1 way in understanding the metabolic health of a unique person. For a complete workup, please go to pillarMD for more information.
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