Waist Size Matters

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Why Waist Size Matters
Last Updated November 12, 2008
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By Susan Callahan, Health Editor and Columnist

Remember when the "perfect" measurements of a woman were
38-24-38? A 24-inch waistline --or something reasonably
close-- may have been discarded as a canard of a sexist past but
new studies may make us all have to take a second look at the
usefulness of the measurement.

It turns out that your waistline measurement may tell us more
about your overall health than any other statistic. Why? All fat
is not created equal. And fat around the middle may be the
worst fat of all.

Your waist line measurement may be the most important
indicator of your overall health. There is a direct correlation
between the size of your waist and your risk for developing
heart disease, stroke and diabetes and, if you are a man, erectile
dysfunction.

How?

In contrast to the popular notion of fat as an inert blob, fat is
actually an active substance. Fat leaks a constant stream of
hormones into your bloodstream and some of these hormones
are quite harmful.

In 2006, Canadian scientists in Canada studied the waist sizes
of 168,000 men and women worldwide.

The results were, well, heart-stopping.

The Importance of The Number 5

The study showed that the risk of heart disease increased 21 to
40 per cent for every 5½in (14cm) a man added to his waist
line. In women, the risk of heart disease increased 21 to 40
percent for every 5¾in (14.9cm) increase in their waistlines.

See the pattern? Five(5) is a magic number. For every 5 inches
you add around the middle, your risk of death by heart disease
skyrockets.

The culprit? The usual suspects ---high blood sugar, lack of
exercise, and excess dietary fat.

High insulin levels convert excess blood-sugar into belly girth.
We start to take the shape of apples or pumpkins rather than
pears. (Read more about Sugar and the Disease Connection).

Both effects reduce blood flow to all areas of the body
especially the heart. Fat around the belly is the key culprit in
rising levels of heart disease and snoring, which has been linked
to a 67% increased risk of stroke.

What is the ideal waistline number? As you might expect,
recommendations vary. Under the guidelines of the
International Diabetes Federation, a normal waist measurement
for a woman is 32 inches or less, and for a man is 38 inches or
less.

Many doctors are even more stringent, recommending a target
of 30 inches or less for a woman and 35 for a man.

Not quite the old 24-inch waist, but it's a start.

So, what is an effective way to start reducing your waist line.
Here are 4 simple steps.

1. Stack the odds in your favor by eating foods that help to
shrink your waist

2. Learn the exercises which work in building abdominal
muscles and the ones (crunches) which are almost a waste of
time.

3. Learn the connection between lack of sleep, especially poor
sleep caused by snoring, and a bulging waist line and other
health risks such as stroke.

4. Belly fat sets you up for diabetes, so learn how to reduce
your risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

You are just getting warmed up. Find out more information
reducing your waist line: Foods That Shrink Your Waist / Diet
and Exercise -A Simple Plan / Taste Buds Can Help You Lose
Weight / Normal Waist Size for Men and Women
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