Waist circumference with respect to various health issues - Facts we all must know!!
Posted on: 25/Apr/2023 9:23:36 AM
Are you aware of the fact that waist circumference and waist to hip ratio could be important tools to assess the chances of getting serious health issues in a person?
It was mentioned by a consultant radiologist Dr. Noorie that a large waist circumference could reveal the presence of excessive body fat which further would lead to health issues like type-2 diabetes, high BP, high triglycerides and coronary heart disease or CAD etc.
It is important to mention here that for a healthy body the wasit must be less than 40 inches for men and less than 35 inches for women. Factors like race, ethnicity etc could also decide the circumference of the waist.
A research study has brought to light that there has been a steady decrease in the life span for the highest versus lowest waist circumference of approximately 3 years for men and 5 years for women. Point is that this effect was not dependent on other factors such as age, BMI or body mass index, physical activity etc. In the research study data belonging to as manya s 650,000 adults were taken into account. It must be noted that men with waist circumference of 43 inches or 110 cms had more than 50% greater risk of death when compared to men with waist circumference of 37 in or 94 cm waist.
It was found that women with waist circumference of 37inches or 94cms had 80% higher risk of death when compared to women with waist circumference of 27.5 inches or 70cm.
Information is that larger waist circumference refers to accumulation of excess fat in the abdomen and is associated with health issues like obesity, high BP, high cholesterol, high triglycerides etc.
Waist circumference of a person could be reduced when he or she eats healthy food, does exercises regularly, quit smoking etc. The presence of intra-abdominal visceral fat is responsible for large waist circumference and this fat usually develops between and around the internal organs. Intra-abdominal fat is different from regular fat. It must be noted that regular fats just sit behind the skin and can be pinched. When the fat cells become more, then less adiponectin or protein hormone gets secreted and this would lead to poor insulin sensitivity, more chances of getting atherosclerosis and diabetes etc in us.
Point is that when we are stressed (emotional or physical or mental) then high levels of the stress hormone of cortisol is secreted. It has been found out that chronically elevated levels of stress hormone would make the body deposit more visceral fat in the abdomen.
How to reduce the waist circumference:
Waist circumference could be reduced by doing exercises like planks, yoga, high intensity interval training etc.
