waist should be less than half your height

Sabine_Stroehm
Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
edited November 7 in Health and Weight Loss
According to a new study being reported in various news outlets:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/11080588/Key-to-a-long-life-is-a-waist-measuring-less-than-half-your-height.html
«1345678

Replies

  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
    If I'm calculating right than that means I need a 30. That seems doable.
  • rosehips60
    rosehips60 Posts: 1,030 Member
    At 5' 10" I need to get to 35", better get going on my 30 day challenge!
  • LaReinaDeCorazones
    LaReinaDeCorazones Posts: 274 Member
    Mine is already less than half n I expect to lose several more inches off so I'm good. .
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Hm, it says mine should be 35. That's what mine is.

    I'll have a fulfilling life!
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
    if this is true i only have one more inch to go. woot woot!
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    Mine is already less than half and I have 50 more pounds to go.
  • hmaddpear
    hmaddpear Posts: 610 Member
    Les Mayhew, a professor of statistics at Cass Business School, said: “There is now overwhelming evidence that government policy should place greater emphasis on waist to height ratio as a screening tool.”

    Of course, the NHS does place great emphasis on the waist size. They're a bit more draconian though - women's waists ideally should be less than 31.5" and men's less than 37".

    http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/849.aspx?CategoryID=51

    Due to the dreaded middle aged spread, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get under that again. Should make 32.5", though. (at 65", that's half.)
  • meg091380
    meg091380 Posts: 41
    My goal puts mine at half, so seems plausible...
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    My insurance company has been using that as part of its assessment for a while.

    (31.5 for me, so not unreasonable, even though I wish I tended more to the hourglass instead of being super high-waisted.)
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    I know they say waist, but do they mean waist (as in the natural waist) or belly? If they mean waist, I'm close. If they mean belly, not so much...
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    Les Mayhew, a professor of statistics at Cass Business School, said: “There is now overwhelming evidence that government policy should place greater emphasis on waist to height ratio as a screening tool.”

    Of course, the NHS does place great emphasis on the waist size. They're a bit more draconian though - women's waists ideally should be less than 31.5" and men's less than 37".

    http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/849.aspx?CategoryID=51

    Due to the dreaded middle aged spread, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get under that again. Should make 32.5", though. (at 65", that's half.)
    The idea that a fixed waist measurement is useful, regardless of the height of the person involved, seems brain damaged even for government.
  • DjinnMarie
    DjinnMarie Posts: 1,297 Member
    Mine should be 32? Being short with a small torso, this would make me a beach ball. Maybe it ok as a general rule, but definitely not my preference.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Oh, I hope that is true! I only need to lose one inch off my waist to meet that requirement, even though I'm just starting and I'm more than 20 lbs overweight by BMI.

    I did a little googling to make sure I was measuring the in the right spot, and I am (between the lowest rib bone and the hip bone, according to one article on the study).

    I suppose I should thank my parents.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    Eek. If that's true, I need a 36" waist.

    i don't think I even had a 36" waist when I was in high school and I was in decent shape back then!
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    Mine should be 32? Being short with a small torso, this would make me a beach ball. Maybe it ok as a general rule, but definitely not my preference.

    Really, did you have to go there? Maybe I'm just feeling sensitive today, but that just struck a "well then I must look like a blimp" nerve.
  • DjinnMarie
    DjinnMarie Posts: 1,297 Member
    Mine should be 32? Being short with a small torso, this would make me a beach ball. Maybe it ok as a general rule, but definitely not my preference.

    Really, did you have to go there? Maybe I'm just feeling sensitive today, but that just struck a "well then I must look like a blimp" nerve.

    Are you me? With the same body type, frame and measurements? Am I missing a twin?
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    Mine should be 32? Being short with a small torso, this would make me a beach ball. Maybe it ok as a general rule, but definitely not my preference.

    Really, did you have to go there? Maybe I'm just feeling sensitive today, but that just struck a "well then I must look like a blimp" nerve.

    Are you me? With the same body type, frame and measurements? Am I missing a twin?

    I'm shorter than you and have a bigger waist. I'm not saying it's logical, but it did strike a nerve.

    Edited to add: I'm not usually this sensitive, but it just hit me hard. I'm not going to fight about this though, so have a good day!
  • AngeliqueAcee
    AngeliqueAcee Posts: 59 Member
    That would put me at 32.5".. I'm at 31 so I guess I should just keep at it and live until I'm 100! Woop! Always wanted to live until 2089
  • DjinnMarie
    DjinnMarie Posts: 1,297 Member
    Mine should be 32? Being short with a small torso, this would make me a beach ball. Maybe it ok as a general rule, but definitely not my preference.

    Really, did you have to go there? Maybe I'm just feeling sensitive today, but that just struck a "well then I must look like a blimp" nerve.


    Are you me? With the same body type, frame and measurements? Am I missing a twin?

    I'm shorter than you and have a bigger waist. I'm not saying it's logical, but it did strike a nerve.

    My torso is disproportionately shorter than my height. I have an extremely small frame. I have had a 32 inch waist before. People carry their weight differently. A 32 inch waist on one person will look astoundingly different on another.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Les Mayhew, a professor of statistics at Cass Business School, said: “There is now overwhelming evidence that government policy should place greater emphasis on waist to height ratio as a screening tool.”

    Of course, the NHS does place great emphasis on the waist size. They're a bit more draconian though - women's waists ideally should be less than 31.5" and men's less than 37".

    http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/849.aspx?CategoryID=51

    Due to the dreaded middle aged spread, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get under that again. Should make 32.5", though. (at 65", that's half.)
    Damned middle age spread. I should probably measure mine again!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Mine should be 32? Being short with a small torso, this would make me a beach ball. Maybe it ok as a general rule, but definitely not my preference.
    For health.
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  • Fit_Fox88
    Fit_Fox88 Posts: 410 Member
    Mine should be 32? Being short with a small torso, this would make me a beach ball. Maybe it ok as a general rule, but definitely not my preference.

    Really, did you have to go there? Maybe I'm just feeling sensitive today, but that just struck a "well then I must look like a blimp" nerve.

    Perhaps you shouldn't read the forums then if something like that will "strike a nerve" on your sensitive days. She was talking about herself, not you. She also made a good point about it being a general rule but not a guideline. Nothing here was aimed at you personally. Jeesh, chill out.
  • Kaelakcr
    Kaelakcr Posts: 505 Member
    It's interesting, because they've always said that the hourglass shape is correlated with lower risk of heart disease and stuff. A lot of this is genetic; my mom is overweight but she would have to be really overweight to be more than 34" at the waist, just because of her shape. Even when I'm "bigger", my waist is still 24". So it sounds like it's less about weight than where your body holds fat.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    Sounds like I need to get A LOT TALLER!!! No, seriously, I'm still just proud that my circumference is less than my height. Half? Eek!!
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
    sounds accurate

    29509743.png
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    Mine should be 32? Being short with a small torso, this would make me a beach ball. Maybe it ok as a general rule, but definitely not my preference.

    Really, did you have to go there? Maybe I'm just feeling sensitive today, but that just struck a "well then I must look like a blimp" nerve.

    Are you me? With the same body type, frame and measurements? Am I missing a twin?

    I'm shorter than you and have a bigger waist. I'm not saying it's logical, but it did strike a nerve.

    Edited to add: I'm not usually this sensitive, but it just hit me hard. I'm not going to fight about this though, so have a good day!
    Is it bad that I found this funny?
    I'm a jerk.
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  • NoMoreBlameGame
    NoMoreBlameGame Posts: 236 Member
    nevermind, just deleting my post. I guess I have a weird body shape. lol
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Mine should be 32?

    Less than 32. So your preference is fine.
This discussion has been closed.

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