Waist circumference is a better estimate of ‘visceral fat’. This is the dangerous internal fat that coats your organs. A person is at higher risk of developing central obesity-related illness if they have a WHtR of over 50%. Fat around the abdomen (belly) is linked to even higher risks of diabetes, heart and circulatory disease and cancer.

Europeans. But there isn’t enough research to make specific waist measurement recommendations for these These are measurements of excess body fat, not a precise measurement of body composition. For an accurate reading you need to know where to place the measuring tape. The Bod Pod technology is similar to underwater weighing but uses air instead of water. You are weighed before sitting in a small ‘pod’ machine. By measuring how much air is displaced whilst in the ‘pod’, body density is measured from which body fat can be calculated. The plus side:

well and being physically active. The minimum level of physical activity recommended for adults is 150 The hip circumference is usually more important to measure in the pants for a suit, but getting the size of the waist is often still advisable depending on the style. Your BMI is a guide to tell you if you are the correct weight for your height. Your BMI can give an indication of your chance of developing weight-related disease such as diabetes. You can find your BMI using the healthdirect BMI calculator. The calculator can give you an idea of any health risks related to your BMI or waist circumference. It also offers information based on your personal results. Underwater weighing measures your density, which is then used to estimate body fat. Fat is less dense than bone and muscle, so a person with a higher percentage of fat will weigh less underwater, relative to the amount of water they displace, and be more buoyant.

Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Waist circumference and BMI are important indicators of risk. However, many other factors also contribute to disease. American pants are normally measured in waist size and inseam length. You will see two numbers on the label inside your pants, e.g., 26/24. The first number is the waist measurement. In the example, your waist size is 26. Be careful in buying your previous sizes because this might not accurately reflect your most updated size, which could be smaller or larger. 3. Measure the Pants That Fit Best Measuring visceral fat can give a more accurate predictor of some health conditions. These include:

What should your waist measurement be?

Although it is not possible to reduce fat in specific areas, any weight loss in people who carry excess fat can help. The NHLBI suggest that losing just 5–10% of body weight can reduce health risks in someone with overweight or obesity.

None. There is no health benefit to having a thigh gap. Whether you have a thigh gap is due to your bone structure and body shape, not if you are thin or not. If your hips are wider in relation to your knees, you will have more curves compared to those with narrower hips, even if you are the same weight. It is safe, non-invasive and fast. It is very accurate with excellent reliability for repeat tests. Unlike underwater weighing, the Bod Pod does not require getting wet. The pod accommodates people of any age, shape and size and is accurate for groups including children, obese, elderly, and disabled people. The down side:A 2019 meta-analysis indicated that genes play a role in determining body-fat distribution, in particular waist-to-hip ratio. Consequently, some individuals are, therefore, more likely to store fat around their middle than on their thighs. Hold one side of the tape measure in front of your body, then wrap it around the narrowest part of the waist until it overlaps the starting side of the tape measure. Waist circumference is a good measure of fat around your middle. This type of fat builds up around your organs, and is linked to high blood fat levels, high blood pressureand diabetes. A larger waist usually also means there is excess fat inside your organs. When this happens in your liver, for example, it pumps out too much fat and sugar into the blood, increasing your risk of coronary heart diseaseand diabetes. Want to get fit and healthy? Another study in 2016 concluded that WHtR is more effective than BMI and waist circumference at identifying those at ‘early health risk’ of central obesity-related illnesses when using a boundary value of WHtR of 0.5, or 50%. For accurate readings you need to know where to place the measuring tape. It is only an estimate of body fat.

Smart scales don't just give your weight, but also a host of body composition stats including your body fat percentage. They can look like normal scales with foot plates, or have additional hand plates.

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Genetics may help explain why some families are more likely to be “apple-shaped,” while others are more likely to be “pear-shaped.” Overweight and obesity are health conditions of excess weight. They often result from eating too much food and/or not doing enough physical activity. may be at high risk of some health conditions at a lower waist measurement, compared to an increased risk This is based on the premise if you can stand with your legs together and see a gap between your thighs–‘a thigh gap’– you're slim.For some it is seen as a desirable shape and something to aim for, but it is not necessarily healthy or normal. The plus side: It’s good because it’s easy to understand. Doctors are more likely to use body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight relative to your height – use our BMI calculator. Waist measurement is better for people who carry a lot of muscle and less fat, like bodybuilders, boxers and rugby players. If you want to eat more healthily and lose weight, it’s best to measure how much weight you lose or put on. Losing weight will help your waist measurement too.