Waist circumference is an inaccurate measure of health

CoconutBluebird

I say this because there are many different body shapes out there. Most women are not hourglass shaped, and this fantasy is what most "healthy" waist circumference charts are based on. For instance, my waist is about the same width as my hips; 34 inches. My stomach is flat, there are no rolls to speak of. Yet, according to these bogus waist to hip ratio charts, I am...*drumroll*...OBESE. 140 lbs is not ideal for my height, but it's not even overweight, let alone obese. All our society cares about is a unrealistic body shape for women that will give men boners, instead of a individualized approach. I am an H shape, I have a short waist, and my hip bones are at my belly button. This is another issue because they tell you to measure around the belly button. I am really sick of this "ideal shape" being pushed on women, and I would like to know if any other women are experiencing the same frustration as I am and how they deal with it. I purposely avoid going to the doctor because I'm not going to have some idiot measure my waist and put me down as "obese" because they are either to stupid to acknowledge diversity in body shapes or they mistakenly measure my hips because they are measuring around my bellybutton, which is NOT my waist.

/rant

Kalikel

I say this because there are many different body shapes out there. Most women are not hourglass shaped, and this fantasy is what most "healthy" waist circumference charts are based on. For instance, my waist is about the same width as my hips; 34 inches. My stomach is flat, there are no rolls to speak of. Yet, according to these bogus waist to hip ratio charts, I am...*drumroll*...OBESE. 140 lbs is not ideal for my height, but it's not even overweight, let alone obese. All our society cares about is a unrealistic body shape for women that will give men boners, instead of a individualized approach. I am an H shape, I have a short waist, and my hip bones are at my belly button. This is another issue because they tell you to measure around the belly button. I am really sick of this "ideal shape" being pushed on women, and I would like to know if any other women are experiencing the same frustration as I am and how they deal with it. I purposely avoid going to the doctor because I'm not going to have some idiot measure my waist and put me down as "obese" because they are either to stupid to acknowledge diversity in body shapes or they mistakenly measure my hips because they are measuring around my bellybutton, which is NOT my waist.

/rant

A doctor wouldn't mark down that you were obese if you weren't. Promise.

williams969

I've NEVER had a doctor measure my waist (or any other body part) with a tape measure (outside of pregnancy--they do that to measure your progress). I promise, they will not do that to you, nor call a 140 lb person obese (unless, you're three feet tall, then maybe there's room to lose).

ETA: And in "real" settings (i.e. outside of silly interwebz of "fashion" and "ideal body shapes"), we as society understand that people come in all shapes (irregardless of weight), including our medical providers (who, BTW, have probably seen WAY more body varieties than any other profession).

3dogsrunning

I've NEVER had a doctor measure my waist (or any other body part) with a tape measure (outside of pregnancy--they do that to measure your progress). I promise, they will not do that to you, nor call a 140 lb person obese (unless, you're three feet tall, then maybe there's room to lose).

ETA: And in "real" settings (i.e. outside of silly interwebz of "fashion" and "ideal body shapes"), we as society understand that people come in all shapes (irregardless of weight), including our medical providers (who, BTW, have probably seen WAY more body varieties than any other profession).

Actually they do. I had a health assessment done at work and they did BMI at first. I was just over the healthy BMI in the overweight category. She then measured my waist and used a chart which she determined I was not overweight due to my waist circumference. She marked me as healthy, not overweight.

It has nothing to do with ideal shape or anything.


(I have always been on the high side of BMI sen when at a lower bodyfat).

DavPul

Possible to post pics of this healthy, non obese, H shape? For science

meshashesha2012

Possible to post pics of this healthy, non obese, H shape? For science

it's very possible for women to be rectangular shaped and healthy. there's barely any difference between camille's waist and hip. that's sorta what happens when you have a short torso and long legs because there's only so much space for those organs to be squished into

PikaKnight

OP, how tall are you? And could you post a picture or two (front and side if possible) of your stomach?

Return_of_the_Big_Mac

Most weight-loss related ratios are heuristics. They are designed to apply to "most" people. Clearly they don't work for everyone. The idea is to put them in context and understand their limitations rather than discarding them completely

It makes no sense to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

DavPul

Possible to post pics of this healthy, non obese, H shape? For science

it's very possible for women to be rectangular shaped and healthy. there's barely any difference between camille's waist and hip. that's sorta what happens when you have a short torso and long legs because there's only so much space for those organs to be squished into

^that's legit. Is that what we think the OP is speaking about? Because I seriously doubt if the woman in the photo has a doctor that will call her overweight or obese no matter what the charts say.

csuhar

DavPul wrote: »

Possible to post pics of this healthy, non obese, H shape? For science

it's very possible for women to be rectangular shaped and healthy. there's barely any difference between camille's waist and hip. that's sorta what happens when you have a short torso and long legs because there's only so much space for those organs to be squished into

^that's legit. Is that what we think the OP is speaking about? Because I seriously doubt if the woman in the photo has a doctor that will call her overweight or obese no matter what the charts say.

Something I notice is that, at least as I read the original post, a doctor HASN'T said anything. The OP talks about body types, waist-to-hip ratios, and the like, but then says she avoids or is apprehensive about going to the doctor due to concerns the doctor would agree with the charts. So, to me, it sounds like we're dealing more with the one-size-fits-most charts and ideas of what's expected by society more than what a doctor has specifically said about the OP.

My experience has been mixed. As part of my job, I've frequently had issues of fitting into arbitrary height / weight / waist size standards. "The chart" says that, at 74" tall, I should be about 214 pounds. So I'm constantly being told I'm too heavy, my waist's too big, etc. by the people who rely on the chart. But most of the doctors I've seen tend to say my healthy weight is higher because they are taking additional factors, such as a larger physical build, into account.

Conversely, I've known people at or near my height with much slighter builds whose waists were as much as 7 inches smaller than mine. If their waist reached the same size as mine, it'd would likely have to be because they let themselves go and were no longer as fit as they are.

PaulaWallaDingDong

Fun fact: no single means of measurement is a perfect measure of overall health for every individual, and none of them are based on women giving men boners.

robininfl

DavPul wrote: »

Possible to post pics of this healthy, non obese, H shape? For science

it's very possible for women to be rectangular shaped and healthy. there's barely any difference between camille's waist and hip. that's sorta what happens when you have a short torso and long legs because there's only so much space for those organs to be squished into

^that's legit. Is that what we think the OP is speaking about? Because I seriously doubt if the woman in the photo has a doctor that will call her overweight or obese no matter what the charts say.

I am shaped straight up and down like that but I guarantee you that the pictured woman's hip measurement is bigger than her waist circumference because she has a butt. I look straight and lean, no waist definition, built pretty straight through hips, not a great a-s-s yet, and there is still a 9" difference between waist and hip.

And no - I had no visible waist definition even a few pounds underweight and lean.

lemurcat12

You've been zombified!

PaulaWallaDingDong

lemurcat12 wrote: »

You've been zombified!

tech_kitten

meshashesha2012 wrote: »

it's very possible for women to be rectangular shaped and healthy. there's barely any difference between camille's waist and hip. that's sorta what happens when you have a short torso and long legs because there's only so much space for those organs to be squished into

I am 5'3", short-waisted, and my legs are "normal size" (long for my height, but inseam = 31 1/2, which is around average for pants styles"). i would say front on, my top and middle look almost the same width, with my hips and thighs being bigger. My measurements are 38-30-42. IIRC, in high school I was 36-26-38, so I have an hourglass figure if I would just lose down to my high school weight. But that's not going to happen. I don't think I can maintain 105-115.

csuhar

lemurcat12 wrote: »

You've been zombified!

Yeah. I got my "what's happening on MFP, today?" tab mixed up with a separate google search result that happened to be an MFP thread.

adoette

Ignore the belly button bit.

For those of you who have a normal torso length, your waist is probably at your belly button.

For the rest of us, look in the mirror and bend to the side. Where your torso actually bends is your waist. For the short waisted, it'll be near the bottom of your rib cage. For the long waisted, it may well be below your belly button. I can't swear on that last one as my waist is 3 inches higher than it should be.

When measuring your hips, they don't actually mean your hip bones. It's the same polite lie as when rhe doctor tells you that you need a shot that's going to go in the hip. That is not your hip they stick the needle in. It's your butt. Measure your hips around the widest part of your lower torso, for most of us that will include butt and saddle bags as well. Make sure feet are together on that part.

I hope that helps!

owieprone

3dogsrunning wrote: »

I've NEVER had a doctor measure my waist (or any other body part) with a tape measure (outside of pregnancy--they do that to measure your progress). I promise, they will not do that to you, nor call a 140 lb person obese (unless, you're three feet tall, then maybe there's room to lose).

ETA: And in "real" settings (i.e. outside of silly interwebz of "fashion" and "ideal body shapes"), we as society understand that people come in all shapes (irregardless of weight), including our medical providers (who, BTW, have probably seen WAY more body varieties than any other profession).

Actually they do. I had a health assessment done at work and they did BMI at first. I was just over the healthy BMI in the overweight category. She then measured my waist and used a chart which she determined I was not overweight due to my waist circumference. She marked me as healthy, not overweight.

It has nothing to do with ideal shape or anything.


(I have always been on the high side of BMI sen when at a lower bodyfat).

Agree. Christ, if someone did BMI on me, I'd be thrown out for asking to see their Uni Degree and then wetting myself laughing.

iplayoutside19

When I was obese my Doctor yelled at me about my blood pressure, resting HR, and cholesterol more than anything. You don't know what a Doctor will say until you see one.

RosieRose7673

Wow. I know this is a zombie thread, but really?

Having a 9" difference between waist and hip is NOT rectangular shaped or whatever it is being called.

My measurements are 33-28-32. I only have a 4" difference. I still have a slight difference but it's still a small difference. If you look at me straight on, I do look very rectangular. That's just how I am.

I'd say the girl in the picture likely doesn't have a 9" difference between waist and hips. There will be a difference but not that great.

Hornsby

Back from the dead, with a shaved head...


10 points for whoever gets the lyric reference anyone ^^^^ :P