Measure up!
View(s):In 2012, 46% of Sri Lankan adults were classified as overweight or obese and approximately 31% were abdominally obese. An increased waistline is a sign that you could be at greater risk of developing serious health problems and could put you at higher risk of developing diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Why measure waist circumference and not just BMI?
BMI is simply a ratio of weight in relation to height and will not indicate where fat is stored in the body. In contrast, waist circumference is a simple check to tell you how much body fat you have and where it is placed around your body. Fat around your organs is called visceral fat; while subcutaneous fat is the fat right under the skin. Both types of fat play a role in contributing to health problems, however visceral fat is the ‘danger’ fat when it comes to chronic disease. A waist circumference measurement will help identify whether you have too much visceral fat in your body.
For this reason, waist circumference is increasingly recognised as being a more important tool than simple BMI measurement in assessing health risks associated with overweight and obesity.
Measuring your waistline is a simple check. The correct place to measure your waist is horizontally halfway between your lowest rib and the top of your hipbone. This is roughly in line with your belly button.
For an accurate measurement:
Measure directly against your skin
Breathe out normally.
Make sure the tape is snug, without compressing the skin.
What does my waist
measurement mean?
According to the WHO and NHMRC, the waist measurements below (no matter what your height is) suggest you have an increased risk of developing a chronic disease:
Increased risk
Men: more than 94 cm / 37 inches
Women: more than 80 cm/ 31 inches
Greatly increased risk
Men: more than 102 cm/ 40 inches
Women: more than 88 cm/ 35 inches
What if my waist circumference
is too high?
Studies show that if you have a high waist circumference, a waist reduction of just 5 cm can significantly reduce risk and make a BIG difference. It is not possible to cut body fat in one specific part of the body through lifestyle intervention.
However, eating healthy, adding strength/resistance training and doing regular cardiovascular exercise can help reduce overall body fat, whilst decreasing stomach fat.
Practical tips for weight loss
Drink plenty of water.
Eat more fruit and vegetables
Eat regular meals and monitor your feelings of hunger and fullness.
Don’t skip meals – and always eat a healthy high fibre breakfast (e.g. bowl of oats with sliced banana & skim milk).
At each meal, fill half your plate with veggies. Divide the other half into two quarters and fill one quarter with lean protein, such as fish, skinless poultry, lean beef, beans or tofu. Fill the other quarter with a grain-based or starchy side dish, preferably a whole grain like brown rice, whole-wheat pasta or a slice of whole-grain bread. Limit your intake of “extra” foods. These foods are not essential to provide the nutrients the body needs and some contain too much added fat, sugar and/ or salt, therefore contribute unnecessary energy to the diet. Examples include fried snacks, chocolate, biscuits, cakes and soft drinks. Choose these foods sometimes or in small amounts.
Physical activity guidelines
Physical activity can accelerate your weight loss by allowing you to expend more energy. In addition to weight loss, physical activity is important for health, fitness and weight maintenance.
There are three steps for better health:
Step 1 – Think of movement as an opportunity, not an inconvenience
Step 2 – Be active every day in as many ways as you can. For example, take the stairs whenever you can and reduce sitting time.
Step 3 – Put together at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days. To sustain weight loss, you should increase to at least 60-90 min daily. Examples of moderate intensity activity include brisk walking, bicycling and general gardening activities. If you’re doing moderate-intensity activity you can talk, but not sing, during the activity.
Keep checking!
After working on your eating and exercise habits, measure your waist again in six to eight weeks. If your waist circumference has decreased, you are heading in the right direction!
( The writer is Senior Dietitian, Lose Fat Fast (Pvt) Ltd., Wellawatte)