Know Your Waist Circumference

Knowing your waist circumference is very important because it shows  the amount of visceral fat in the abdominal region. Abdominal fat is considered to be more health riskful than total obesity.  This means that people who have fat in the thighs,  arms, buttocks, etc. are not at much risk as those with fat in the abdominal region. This is so because visceral fat feeds directly into the liver via the portal vein. In caveman days when famine was common, stores of visceral fat were crucial for survival, but now there is little need for excess stores of readily available energy. Also termed the omentum, this deep fat tissue causes metabolic disorders like poor blood sugar control, heart disease, diabetes, and increased risk of breast cancer and gallbladder disease.
    Also, according to the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, your waist measurement is an indicator of whether you are at a healthy weight. A man whose waist measurement is greater than 40 inches or a woman whose waist measurement exceeds 35 inches has a greater risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure and other obesity-related health problems, according to the CDC.  

HOW TO MEASURE YOUR WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE 

   Holding a cloth tape measure, remove all your clothing except your underwear. Find the tops of your hip bones. The natural waist is just above your hip bone.

     Hold the tape measure with one hand at the end that shows zero inches. Wrap the tape measure around your waist, just above the tops of your hip bones, until it meets the zero end.  Do not suck in your abdomen or tighten your stomach muscles.