Your BMI is a great method of deducting your weight, but measuring your waist is also important to assess for potential risks of disease.
Carrying too much abdominal fat around your waist can lead to obesity-related diseases such as coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Using a tape measure, there are four steps to follow to accurately measure your weight:
- Locate the top of your hip bone and the bottom of your ribs
- Take a deep breath out
- Place the tape measure between these points and pull it tight around your waist
- Read your measurement
You can assess what your waist size means by using the following:
| Gender (Ethnicity) | Health is at risk if you have a waist size of: | Health is at high risk if you have a waist size of: |
|---|---|---|
| Men | Over 94cm (about 37 inches) | Over 102cm (about 40 inches) |
| Women | Over 80cm (about 31.5 inches) | Over 88cm (about 34.5 inches) |
| Asian Men | Over 90cm (about 35.5 inches) | |
| Asian Women | Over 80cm (about 31.5 inches) |
Note : there is a higher risk based on waist size for Asian men and women.
