Many people, including medical community, focus mainly on weight and more recently on body mass index (BMI) to assess health condition. However, BMI does not account people like athletes or bodybuilders with greater muscle mass. That is why waist-to-hip ratio is more reliable. However, let’s not talk about waist-to-hip ratio this time and just look at waist measurement alone in this post.
In fact, excess abdominal fat is a good indicator that you are at higher risk for certain diseases. However, it is unclear exactly why excess abs fat can negatively impact health. Some study said that fat cells in this area may release more fatty acids into the blood circulation which then affect insulin sensitivity and cholesterol levels. The end results are diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
No doubt, the most accurate way to measure the amounts and types of fat within the belly are to use medical scanning laboratory equipment such as CTs (computed tomography) or MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging). Having said that, these methods may not be practical for most people who want to monitor the measurement periodically because it can be very expensive. Therefore, a simpler method to estimate the amount of abs fat is to measure the waistline.
What I like about waist measurement is that it can be easily done. Here are the steps:
How To Measure Waist?
- Stand in front of a mirror, if necessary, to make sure you are positioning the tape measure correctly. A general rule of thumb is to measure about 1 cm below the belly button. That is your waist line.
- Stand up straight. Breathe out. Do not hold your breath or tuck in your stomach.
- Make sure the measuring tape is not too loose or too tight around your waist.
- When you take reading, make sure you are not holding the tape at an angle.
Once you have the figure, here are some general reference on the health conditions with the waist measurement:
Research has determined that the cut-off point where health risks significantly increase for certain diseases is:
- 40 inches (102 cm) for men
- 35 inches (88 cm) for women
1 inch is about 2.54 cm.
If you fall above one of those numbers, you should consider shedding the fat.
Bear in mind that age and ethnicity may affect waist size, partly due to genetics. Also, abdominal fat tends to increase with age in both men and women.
If you plan to reduce the fat at your abs by doing only crunches or sit-up, forget about it. You need to do three things – watch your diet, do cardiovascular exercise and weight training. Spot reductions like abs exercise or using those abs toners or even the magic slimming pills are not the surefire ways to your big belly problem.
With determination and hard work, I am sure you can be as good as Ryan Reynolds, if not better.
Category: Health 
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Kara // Oct 16, 2009 at 4:11 AM
1 cm BELOW the belly button? I’m sorry, but NO. No one’s natural waist line is below their belly button.
Measuring your STOMACH is done below your belly button.
Your waist measurement should be taken at the narrowest part of your torso – for some people that’s close to their belly button, for some people it can be several centimeters ABOVE the belly button.
surfnux // Oct 16, 2009 at 10:59 AM
Thanks for Sharing man. I lately found that my belly is getting way bigger and another problem is, around my chest up to below the arm, has started to get fatty too. Is that the second place after the belly that will gained fats?
I really have to start moving my tyre before they burst.
foongpc // Oct 19, 2009 at 2:56 PM
I think those measurements are mainly for Caucasians. What about Asians? Since we are of smaller size, maybe the cut off point are less than 40 inches (for men) and 35 inches (for women)?
hairul // Oct 21, 2009 at 6:38 AM
foongpc : if the cutoff point for Asian man and women are to be reduced.. then we would have an overwhelmingly obese citizen in Asian. :)
let say reduce asian men – 35 and women – 28..
whoaaa!! everybody need to start exercise! and hit the gym..! (that includes me.. unfortunately lah)
after-festive season effect still at large! belly got enlarged by 2-3inches.. haih..
come..come.. let’s go cycling (static one in the gym)
Austin // Oct 21, 2009 at 4:12 PM
Thanks for clarifying Kara. This goes to show that not all information online is accurate and sometimes misleading.
bob // Nov 14, 2009 at 3:52 AM
Google “waist measurement” and you’ll get 10 different answers. I still don’t know WHERE to measure.