[Skyra]

I wasn't sure where to post this question, so if it belongs better somewhere else, I'm sorry.

I heard once that you're at a greater health risk if your waist is above 35 inches. Is this true? Where exactly do they take this measurement?

I ask because my waist at its narrowest is 30 inches, but around my belly button is 39 (!!!) inches. That seems like a really high number to me. My doctor has told me I'm in good health and only mildly overweight, but I wonder if the fact that I carry most of my weight in my belly gives me a valid HEALTH reason to lose weight.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

[elaine19]

I think that you should do some surfing on the net and see what the experts have to say, never hurts to do some research...

[murphmitch]

This is how I do it.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2307504_measure-waist.html

[dangerousfish]

Their are two measures which seem to predict health risks: waist circumference and waist to hip ratio. The higher either or those numbers is the higher the risk for disease due to higher levels of fat around the internal organs. I'm a weirdo female with a waist (at the belly button) that is inches higher than my hips so I'm keen to but my ratio below one, and shrink my waist in general. It does seem that there is a general consensus that overweight pear-shaped people don't have as high of health risks as overweight apple-shaped people.