40 inch waist really that bad for a male?

Shorelivin42
Shorelivin42 Posts: 22 Member
edited November 2017 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey all,
Recently put on some weight and was reading up about waist size. I was a little shocked to find out that my waist size is unhealthy and apparently puts me at risk. I am 24 yo, 5'10", 181 lbs with a 42 inch waist. I've gained about 15 lbs in the last 8 months or so and probably 5 inches on my waist. I'm okay with it but I know I've got a little beer belly now :o and I'm definitely a bit softer in the middle than I was LOL but I was shocked to see that a waist over 40 inches is considered very unhealthy. Should I consider losing weight for health reasons? Is anybody else surprised?! LOL slwu8hcqf450.jpg
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Replies

  • Shorelivin42
    Shorelivin42 Posts: 22 Member
    5'11" 181 lb 42in
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Yes, a waist size over 40" greatly increases the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, etc...

    Also, are you sure you're 181?

    <<< I'm 5'10" and 182
  • Shorelivin42
    Shorelivin42 Posts: 22 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Yes, a waist size over 40" greatly increases the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, etc...

    Also, are you sure you're 181?

    <<< I'm 5'10" and 182

    Okay thanks. Was just surprising I guess LOL yeah we are about the same height and weight. What is your waist size, if you don't mind?
  • Shorelivin42
    Shorelivin42 Posts: 22 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Shorelivin42 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Yes, a waist size over 40" greatly increases the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, etc...

    Also, are you sure you're 181?

    <<< I'm 5'10" and 182

    Okay thanks. Was just surprising I guess LOL yeah we are about the same height and weight. What is your waist size, if you don't mind?

    35"

    Ahh, okay. I was a 37" in January when I weighed about 165. Felt like I was in decent shape then. I would say most of the weight I gained went to my stomach. I'm not talking pants size though. I mean like actual waist circumference
  • Shorelivin42
    Shorelivin42 Posts: 22 Member
    Aaron_K123 wrote: »
    Yeah sorry to spring the news but you are definitely overweight and in a category that is long-term not going to be good for your health. You would benefit from losing some weight. I don't mean that if you don't lose 2 inches off your waist you are going to for sure die young or anything like that, but if you are asking if it could cause you potential health problems then the answer is yes.

    At my most overweight I was 200 pounds at 6' tall and I probably was close to what you look like now and I think I had a 38'' waist. I dropped to 155 pounds and a 30'' waist and definitely felt a lot better.

    Thanks for your honesty! I guess it's possible to not feel like you're overweight but still be at risk of some health issues. I had always been in good shape until recently. I was shocked to see that all of these online calculators said I was overweight!

  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    Shorelivin42 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Shorelivin42 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Yes, a waist size over 40" greatly increases the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, etc...

    Also, are you sure you're 181?

    <<< I'm 5'10" and 182

    Okay thanks. Was just surprising I guess LOL yeah we are about the same height and weight. What is your waist size, if you don't mind?

    35"

    Ahh, okay. I was a 37" in January when I weighed about 165. Felt like I was in decent shape then. I would say most of the weight I gained went to my stomach. I'm not talking pants size though. I mean like actual waist circumference

    Some of this is just bad genetic luck. Someone your height and weight who carries their weight more evenly might not have the same health risks. I've got quite the beer belly myself (about the same circumference as you, only I'm female and 8 inches shorter), which is a drag, but there's not much to be done about it other than try and keep the weight down.
  • Shorelivin42
    Shorelivin42 Posts: 22 Member
    tyrindor wrote: »
    Your gut looks much bigger than 5' 10" 181, no offense. It's definitely not healthy. You need to lose weight, so stop making excuses! For reference, I currently have a 44" waist and I am 23 pounds into the "obese" category. At my current rate, I will be out of obese in about 6 weeks.

    You want a <36" waist as a male. That doesn't mean get 36" and stop either, 36" is the upper limit of healthy. You want to be about 150-160 at your height, if you do no lifting.

    None taken! Thanks for being honest. For reference, this was me in January at about 165 and with a 37 inch waist. Never thought I was anywhere near overweight then. I was lifting then and hitting the gym but my diet wasn't great. I'll probably renew my gym membership. That should really kickstart me and help get back to where I was. abqfhitj4znn.jpg

  • Shorelivin42
    Shorelivin42 Posts: 22 Member
    MegaMooseEsq wrote: »
    Shorelivin42 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Shorelivin42 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Yes, a waist size over 40" greatly increases the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, etc...

    Also, are you sure you're 181?

    <<< I'm 5'10" and 182

    Okay thanks. Was just surprising I guess LOL yeah we are about the same height and weight. What is your waist size, if you don't mind?

    35"

    Ahh, okay. I was a 37" in January when I weighed about 165. Felt like I was in decent shape then. I would say most of the weight I gained went to my stomach. I'm not talking pants size though. I mean like actual waist circumference

    Some of this is just bad genetic luck. Someone your height and weight who carries their weight more evenly might not have the same health risks. I've got quite the beer belly myself (about the same circumference as you, only I'm female and 8 inches shorter), which is a drag, but there's not much to be done about it other than try and keep the weight down.

    Never thought of it that way. I guess that's true. Cause weight wise I never felt overweight. 180 isn't terrible for 5'10" so the waist thing threw me off. Thanks!
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    edited November 2017
    Shorelivin42 wrote: »
    Aaron_K123 wrote: »
    Yeah sorry to spring the news but you are definitely overweight and in a category that is long-term not going to be good for your health. You would benefit from losing some weight. I don't mean that if you don't lose 2 inches off your waist you are going to for sure die young or anything like that, but if you are asking if it could cause you potential health problems then the answer is yes.

    At my most overweight I was 200 pounds at 6' tall and I probably was close to what you look like now and I think I had a 38'' waist. I dropped to 155 pounds and a 30'' waist and definitely felt a lot better.

    Thanks for your honesty! I guess it's possible to not feel like you're overweight but still be at risk of some health issues. I had always been in good shape until recently. I was shocked to see that all of these online calculators said I was overweight!

    I spent most of my adult life at around 185 pounds thinking I was right where I should be because I was 6' tall. Took some introspection and learning about my body to realize I actually have a very small frame so 185 on me is actually overweight even though on most 6' tall men 185 probably isn't. I have pictures public on my profile. The "before" picture of me in February 2014 was at 180 pounds and I had a good amount of gut. The "after" in July I think was around 160 pounds. I got down to 155 and was looking pretty lean then.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited November 2017
    The rule of thumb is that your waist needs to be < 2x your height to be "healthy." So, if you're 80" (6'8") tall or taller, you should be fine w/a waist of 40".

    Otherwise, you probably are at risk for health problems commonly associated w/obesity, including but not limited to diabetes and heart disease.

    BTW, I'm 5'8" (68") tall and when I weighed 196 my waist was 40". Now that I weigh 158, my waist is 33" within the <2x height standard.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    edited November 2017
    Shorelivin42 wrote: »
    MegaMooseEsq wrote: »
    Shorelivin42 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Shorelivin42 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Yes, a waist size over 40" greatly increases the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, etc...

    Also, are you sure you're 181?

    <<< I'm 5'10" and 182

    Okay thanks. Was just surprising I guess LOL yeah we are about the same height and weight. What is your waist size, if you don't mind?

    35"

    Ahh, okay. I was a 37" in January when I weighed about 165. Felt like I was in decent shape then. I would say most of the weight I gained went to my stomach. I'm not talking pants size though. I mean like actual waist circumference

    Some of this is just bad genetic luck. Someone your height and weight who carries their weight more evenly might not have the same health risks. I've got quite the beer belly myself (about the same circumference as you, only I'm female and 8 inches shorter), which is a drag, but there's not much to be done about it other than try and keep the weight down.

    Never thought of it that way. I guess that's true. Cause weight wise I never felt overweight. 180 isn't terrible for 5'10" so the waist thing threw me off. Thanks!

    The circumference of the waist (beer belly) is a greater indicator of risk than the scale number. The visceral fat around the abdomen/internal organs causes serious health complications down the road.

    ETA: As an example, my husband is 6' tall and 200 pounds, which could be borderline overweight on some frames. But he does not have a belly and he is muscular, with a 34-35" waist, so his doctor considers his weight to be acceptable, since he is listed as "fit and athletic" in the doctor's notes. (Lean mass/fat mass ratios matter more than scale weight.)
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
    jenilla1 wrote: »
    I'm always shocked at people's perceptions about their own weight and health. So many people seem to have no idea about their own health risks. I know many overweight people who think leaner, normal weight people are sickly, that they are normal (because they are surrounded by other overweight people.) I also know a few obese people who think they are only a little on the heavy side. And many of them think they just ended up fat not because of the choices they make, but rather due to "being born that way" or having a "natural family tendency" toward it.

    I'm not sure how people wouldn't realize that having a big belly with all that extra visceral fat wrapped around the internal organs putting pressure on the heart and joints is unhealthy. I thought we all had health education in school. Plus, it's all over the media these days. I assumed that most people knew their obesity was unhealthy but just weren't doing anything about it. A lot of the overweight people I know readily admit to that. But I guess that's not the case for everyone. It's interesting that in this day and age some don't even know it's a problem.

    Is it really possible that so many people don't know? And would more people do something about it if they knew it was a health risk?

    You'd like to think that would be the case, but just look at how many smokers there are. Who doesn't know that will kill you?
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited November 2017
    FWIW, other than just looking at the shape and size of your belly, if you want an actual measurement of your VAT, only a DXA scan will give it to you.

    I have been getting a DXA scan around every 3 months since Aug 2016 and, during that time, my VAT dropped in volume from 41.51 to 8.74 cu inches and dropped in weight from 1.41# down to 0.30# as of Aug 2017. Don't think it can get much lower than that.

    My total BF as measured by DXA dropped from 20.3% down to 13.4% but BF as measured by hydro dropped from 16.9% down to 10.9% over roughly the same time period. Hydro always gives me a result about 2-3% less than DXA.

    Due for another DXA scan shortly.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,209 Member
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    FWIW, other than just looking at the shape and size of your belly, if you want an actual measurement of your VAT, only a DXA scan will give it to you.

    I have been getting a DXA scan around every 3 months since Aug 2016 and, during that time, my VAT dropped in volume from 41.51 to 8.74 cu inches and dropped in weight from 1.41# down to 0.30# as of Aug 2017. Don't think it can get much lower than that.

    My total BF as measured by DXA dropped from 20.3% down to 13.4% but BF as measured by hydro dropped from 16.9% down to 10.9% over roughly the same time period. Hydro always gives me a result about 2-3% less than DXA.

    Due for another DXA scsn shortly.

    Your quest for precision mirrors my own and your results surpass mine.

    And even though I did my first scan when I was still morbidly obese, a scan is not necessary in order to opine that a clearly identifiable beer belly, is an indication of excess fat in the abdominal region.*

    The op is here and obviously planning on doing something about this. Which is good.

    *I use the term indication because technically it could also be due to other issues having to do with one's health.

  • batorkin
    batorkin Posts: 281 Member
    edited November 2017
    HellYeahItsKriss wrote: »
    Your post made me giggle simply because you remind me of my boyfriend.

    He is 6 feet tall and 226 pounds, I took this picture of him the other night...

    j240mjlye4ug.jpg

    He keeps saying "Its not that bad" and i keep saying to him "Okay, whatever you need to do to rationalize it"
    He too says he doesn't consider himself over weight and backs it up by adding that he has a better body then other guys close to 40 with big fat stomachs.. His pants are size 40 but he still uses a belt to keep them up so my guess is he isn't quite to a 40 inch waist yet.. however, When i met him he was 198 pounds, he is excessively over eating on calories (clearly) however won't take any of my advice because he believes the 30 min of cardio every second day that he is doing is fine. I worry about him because he's pretty deluded about life in general so until he gets sick, he won't change. I hope you are more willing to listen to the advice here then he would be.

    That looks like me, though I am a bit worse (6' 1" 241 current after 11 pounds down). I was in complete denial until recently, always advertising myself as "chubby" when I was actually 30 pounds into "obese" category.

    He's probably the same, and unless he gets motivation he will never change and continue to get bigger. People blink and are 200 pounds overweight because they can't see the small changes over a long period of time.
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
    Wait, in your OP you said 42"...? Not 40"?
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    edited November 2017
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    The rule of thumb is that your waist needs to be < 2x your height to be "healthy." So, if you're 80" (6'8") tall or taller, you should be fine w/a waist of 40".

    Otherwise, you probably are at risk for health problems commonly associated w/obesity, including but not limited to diabetes and heart disease.

    BTW, I'm 5'8" (68") tall and when I weighed 196 my waist was 40". Now that I weigh 158, my waist is 33" within the <2x height standard.

    Yeah, I'm 6'2", 205 weight about 205, age 61. My waist as measured at a physical recently was 36" so well within the 2X height standard. I know sizes are all over the place, but I wear waist size 34 Levi's and need a belt.

    The guys who have their bellies pictured need to work on that stuff, not good for health.
  • HellYeahItsKriss
    HellYeahItsKriss Posts: 906 Member
    tyrindor wrote: »
    HellYeahItsKriss wrote: »
    Your post made me giggle simply because you remind me of my boyfriend.

    He is 6 feet tall and 226 pounds, I took this picture of him the other night...

    j240mjlye4ug.jpg

    He keeps saying "Its not that bad" and i keep saying to him "Okay, whatever you need to do to rationalize it"
    He too says he doesn't consider himself over weight and backs it up by adding that he has a better body then other guys close to 40 with big fat stomachs.. His pants are size 40 but he still uses a belt to keep them up so my guess is he isn't quite to a 40 inch waist yet.. however, When i met him he was 198 pounds, he is excessively over eating on calories (clearly) however won't take any of my advice because he believes the 30 min of cardio every second day that he is doing is fine. I worry about him because he's pretty deluded about life in general so until he gets sick, he won't change. I hope you are more willing to listen to the advice here then he would be.

    That looks like me, though I am a bit worse (6' 1" 241 current after 11 pounds down). I was in complete denial until recently, always advertising myself as "chubby" when I was actually 30 pounds into "obese" category.

    He's probably the same, and unless he gets motivation he will never change and continue to get bigger. People blink and are 200 pounds overweight because they can't see the small changes over a long period of time.

    Oh i know he won't.. he won't do anything unless he has to.. like going to work and paying the bills.

    When it came to that picture i took, he got up to go to the bathroom and came back out and lifted his shirt and said "See, its not that bad when i stand up".. lol.. so.. yeah...

    Its going to be a huge struggle for him.. when i mentioned him being really deluded about things, i feel like his beliefs are what is probably stopping him from doing something now and probably make things harder when he does.. because outside of the fact that he believes its not that bad and that his 30 min of cardio every second day must be doing something.. He will sometimes verbally acknowledge the fact that he is fat and that he just isn't trying hard enough.. which is true.. he isn't.. however, he also believes that if he did try and just did a bit more cardio that the weight he put on would just come off within a couple weeks.

    We both put on some weight, 28 pounds for him and 51 pounds for me. I have since taken 20 off. He believes his fatness is different from my fatness though. He thinks im fat because i used to be fat, so it is expected that i would be fat again and gain weight faster then him cause he was never fat growing up. Which is what he uses to support his thinking about it only taking a couple weeks to lose the weight he gained. When i bought an elliptical, I only did/do cardio on saturdays for 90 min. The rest of the week i just used calorie deficit. He asked me if i had been using it and i said yes and mentioned the 90 min on saturdays and his response was "Well.. i guess that's something..." because he really firmly believes that going to the gym / working out is the only way to not be fat.

    He just won't acknowledge the fact that calorie surplus may have something else to do with it, When we first met we both worked out a lot more then we do now, but i knew that when i decided to take this weight off that i also had to change my eating habits with my exercise. Even if he went back to doing cardio every time he went to the gym, it might help a little but i don't think it will be as easy as he thinks its going to be, especially since I have watched his eating habits change over time.. he's gone from diet pop back to regular, he is eating 1/2 a tub of ice cream in one sitting instead of a bowl. He is buying much larger tubs of gummy candy and is constantly grabbing handfuls out of the container. These things alone coupled with his eating habits before, because he still grates half a block of cheese onto frozen pizza when he cooks it, actually he grates cheese on everything lol.. He is eating out a lot more then he used to, His portion sizes have grown, he came over for dinner last night, once a week i cook a new recipe from pinterest and we try it.. i made a pot of beef chili cheese pasta, I had 1 serving of it and he ate the rest. my serving was 548 calories, his was 1644.. he also added extra grated cheese on top of it. I also had made dessert that night, so 386 calories for that as well. I have no idea what he would of eaten when he got up, Sundays is usually breakfast at his grandparents and all i know is that its usually from a fast food place, mcdonalds would be my guess.

    based on how much of a change he's had with his eating habits and he just can't seem to stop and go back, i feel like he may have a hard time sticking to the change for the length of time its going to take now to lose the 28.. which at this point will be a few months.. the more he gains the longer and longer the time its going to take.. since you can't force someone to do something until they are ready to do it.. i really hope for his sake its not once he hits 50 or more pounds..
  • pogiguy05
    pogiguy05 Posts: 1,583 Member
    Well let me tell you. I am 51yo and when I was about your age I was at the same height and weight. fast forward 25 years later and I am 215lbs and my highest was 235lbs.

    You dont want to go down the road I have already traveled and gain anymore. While you still have a better metabolism and youth get in control of your diet and exercise. Have you had your cholesterol checked?

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