(for health) "Keep your waist circumference to less than half of your height."

Parent Cafe
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<p>This came up in another thread, but it may be of general interest.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.ashwell.uk.com/images/2012%20Ashwell%20Gunn%20and%20Gibson%20%20Ob%20Revs.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ashwell.uk.com/images/2012%20Ashwell%20Gunn%20and%20Gibson%20%20Ob%20Revs.pdf&lt;/a&gt;
[Waist</a> Less Than Half Of Height Helps You Live Longer](<a href=“http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/245352.php]Waist”>Waist Less Than Half Of Height Helps You Live Longer)
[Waist</a> To Height Ratio Better Than BMI](<a href=“http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/245328.php]Waist”>Waist To Height Ratio Better Than BMI)</p>

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<p>It is not too surprising a result that WHtR (waist / height) is more predictive of health issues than BMI. It is also easily measurable (even more easily measurable than BMI), unlike body fat percentage.</p>

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<p>And it’s easier than trying to get taller…</p>

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<p>Classof2015 - where is the like button!</p>

<p>Thanks for posting this, first time I’ve seen this - H will appreciate it if I stop worrying his BMI. When he gets home tonight I am taking out the tape measure - I think it might be better news than the BMI number.</p>

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<p>Yes, BMI does not distinguish between people who are heavy with fat versus those who are heavy with muscle (athletes and others with physical jobs). In contrast, WHtR targets measuring the body fat where it is most unhealthy to have a large accumulation of.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the link to the study, UCB. I just sent it to my tablet to read.</p>

<p>I make the cut. 48.5% ratio, but it’s a moving target as I’ve reached the age where I’m getting shorter!</p>

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<p>Interesteddad, lol.</p>

<p>Ucb… Thanks for the link. Which part of your waist do you measure? Do I get to choose my thinnest area? Love handle area?</p>

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<p>Ha! I have a tiny waist, but if there are hip-to-height ratios I’ll be in trouble.</p>

<p>Sent from my SGH-T989 using CC</p>

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<p>Waist measurement is supposed to be around navel level, or between the top of your hip bone and bottom of your ribs.</p>

<p>[Waist</a> measurement](<a href=“http://www.webmd.com/diet/waist-measurement]Waist”>Waist Measurement: How To Measure Your Waist Circumference)</p>

<p>Body fat around the hips (typical female fat distribution) is much less risky from a health standpoint than body fat in the abdomen (typical male fat distribution).</p>

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<p>I don’t know … I pass this test … but I need to lose serious weight … like 30-35 pounds. Then again, I like it a lot better than the BMI thing which says I should have been dead about 10 years ago.</p>

<p>PS - but I’m one the people for whom BMI does not work very well … I’ve always weighed much more than anyone would expect at my size and build … I used to seek out the guy at amusement parks who guessed weights because they would always be WAY low and I’d win a prize.</p>

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<p>Weighing more than you look is often due to having a lot of muscle and bone, which is generally healthy.</p>

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<p>Ummm…thin arms, thin legs and an apple shape here – I hide a lot of weight in the middle. People were shocked when they found out how much I really weighed. My heart definitely knew, though.</p>

<p>Even now, 90 lbs. later and looking gaunt, I still don’t meet the waist < 50% of height test, but am down to 26.8 BMI.</p>

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<p>My BMI is fine, but another apple here, although I am very short waisted and my waist barely makes the cut.</p>

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<p>Some articles indicate that the average waist size in the US is about 38" for men and 35" for women. Note that average heights are about 70" for men and 65" for women, so the average waist / average height is around 0.54 for both men and women.</p>

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<p>Just measured – .4375. And at the doctor’s the other day, they gave me a print out with “vitals” – BP 110/68, height and weight and BMI – 20.94.</p>

<p>Which all sounds healthy, but why was I there? Felt like I couldn’t breathe. He said it sounds like it’s anxiety-related. But at least I don’t have to worry about the waist/height ratio for now.</p>

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<p>Just under 50% here. Whew. But I know I’m about 25 pounds overweight. It’s pretty much all in my legs–hips, thighs, calves. as I’ve said before, nevermind “pear” shape–I am a bowling pin.</p>

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<p>How common is it for women to carry weight in their middle?
The women in my family, the women in my swim classes and my book group either are as skinny as a rail, evenly overweight or carry it in their abdomen.
( it also doesn’t help to have an extra rib)</p>

<p>I can’t even think of anyone who carries extra weight below their waist besides my sisters SIL whose bottom half looks like it belongs to a completely different person.
At least having a tummy is easy to target & camouflage.</p>

<p>Those waist sizes sound large. I think we perhaps have more active/ healthy weight folks in the Puget Sound area than the population in those studies.</p>

<p>Interested dad - I suggest cross training. I was worried I was shrinking since I have osteoporosis, but I just was checked & I’m the same height I’ve always been. Water exercise is helping the vertebral spaces,IMO.</p>

<p>Class of 2015, I don’t know how old you are, but changing hormone levels can mimic anxiety attacks.I had one myself a short while ago, but I suspect it is related to peri menopause even though the Dr didn’t suggest it as a possibility.</p>

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<p>EK–Your description of your SIL could be me. And you’re right, it’s much harder to camouflage. I would love to have non-fat calves! I don’t know how common we pears are, but there’s definitely a lot of us. </p>

<p>Apparently, it’s less unhealthy, and my doctor always tells me that, but it’s aesthetically discouraging.</p>

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<p>I have huge leg muscles, probably due to running and tennis when I was a lot heavier or maybe they’ve always been big. Strong leg muscles are great for the short, fast sprints in tennis. Not a lot that I can do about them as I workout just about every day.</p>

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<p>emeraldkity – I’m old! (50). Thanks for the tip – I’ll check it out.</p>

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<p>How long will it take for doctors and others to switch from BMI to WHtR for individual assessment of obesity-related risks?</p>