This quick test can act as a rough guide as to whether you need to make the necessary lifestyle changes for your health
People have been urged to try a simple 30 second test at home to find out if they are classed as overweight and need to act to ensure their health is not at risk. According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), two quick measurements can act as a rough guide for this.
Your weight is influenced by multiple factors such as your genetics, age, illness, injury, your diet, and how much you exercise, among others. It can also put you at risk for a number of dangerous diseases and conditions if you have too much excess weight.
For example, obesity is known to increase your chances of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, some types of cancer, such as breast cancer and bowel cancer, and stroke. And worryingly, in the UK it’s estimated that around one in every four adults and around one in every five children aged 10 to 11 are living with obesity.
While there is no one-size fits all rule for how much you should weigh as too many factors are at play, it is possible to have an estimate as to whether you could be carrying too much weight around.
According to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), updated guidance from NICE included a recommendation about a new way to identify if your weight could be affecting your health risk. This stated that, as a general rule, your waist should be half your height.
“New NICE guidance encourages you to keep your waist size to less than half your height,” the BHF explained. It is as simple as it sounds – you just need to measure your height and your waist for the results.
The BHF continued: “So, if you are 170cm tall (5ft 7inches) then your waist circumference should be less than 85cm (around 33 inches). Your waist is the mid-point between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hips – not necessarily where the waistband on your clothes is.”
Although just a rough marker, this system comes with some benefits compared to body mass index (BMI). “The good thing about the ‘waist size less than half your height’ guide is that it’s easy to understand and easier to work out than your BMI,” the BHF said.
“It works as a guide because having fat stored around your middle is linked to greater risk of heart and circulatory diseases than compared with fat stored in other places, such as around the hips and thighs.
“It’s also easier to remember than the standard waist circumference guidance, where the sizes that put you at increased risk are different for men and women, and in some cases may even be different for people from different ethnic backgrounds.”
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To calculate your waist to height ratio, the NHS says you need to:
- Find the middle point between your lowest rib and your hip bone. This should be roughly level with your belly button
- Wrap the tape measure around this middle point, breathing naturally and not holding your tummy in
- Take your measurement and divide it by your height, measured in the same units (for example, centimetres or inches).
If you are concerned about your weight you should speak to your doctor.