Obesity Indicator: Waist Measurement Recommended

Updated health guidelines are urging people to measure their waist as an obesity indicator.

The recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) states an adult’s waist should be less than half their height, with body mass index (BMI) a useful indicator but not one that considers excess weight around the mid-rift.

The guidelines say when discussing the way to measure this obesity indicator: “Explain to people that to measure their waist, they should find the bottom of their ribs and the top of their hips, wrap a tape measure around the waist midway between these points and breathe out naturally before taking the measurement.”

An example would be if someone was 175cm tall, their waist measurement should be less than 87.5cm.

The latest estimates suggest 28% of adults in England are obese, with a further 36% overweight. All of this contributes to a cost to the NHS, with regards to treatment, of £6bn.

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