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Battle of the Belly Bulge
A bulging waistline isn’t just a problem when it doesn’t fit into your skirt or trousers, it can be an indication of a bigger problem – your health! The Australian Government health program ‘Measure Up’ recommends a waist circumference under 80cm for adult females and under 94cm for adult males. A waist circumference of more than this increases the risk of lifestyle related chronic diseases like metabolic syndrome (or syndrome X), type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. It is estimated 29-34% of Australians aged over 25 have metabolic syndrome (source: Medical Journal of Australia).
How to Measure Your Waistline
Grab a tape measure, measure directly against your skin, breathe out normally and make sure the tape is snug, without compressing the skin. Measure halfway between your lowest rib and the top of your hipbone, roughly in line with your belly button.
Grab a tape measure, measure directly against your skin, breathe out normally and make sure the tape is snug, without compressing the skin. Measure halfway between your lowest rib and the top of your hipbone, roughly in line with your belly button.
| Waist Measurement | Female | Male |
| Healthy | <80 cm | <94cm |
| Increased Risk | 80-88cm | 94-102cm |
| Greatly Increased Risk | >88cm | >102cm |
At the centre of the problem is insulin, normally a helpful hormone unless the body becomes resistant to it, then things can become apple-shaped, literally. Too many episodes of feasting on high glycemeic index (high GI) foods (causing spikes and drops in blood sugar and excess insulin) which can lead to insulin resistance, where excess insulin and blood sugar build up in the bloodstream, muscles don’t get the energy they require and the glucose winds up in the liver – where it is converted to fat. Welcome to the belly bulge.
Insulin resistance is a precursor to diabetes (used to be called ‘pre-diabetes’). Also, those with insulin resistance have a higher risk of developing brain plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease according to researchers at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan.
Do you have metabolic syndrome?
Do you have a waist measurement over 80cm (female) or 94cm (male)? Do you also have any 2 of the following; insulin resistance, low HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), high triglyceride levels and high blood pressure? If you think you are at risk, see your GP for a fasting (overnight) oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and order a liver function test to determine if you have visceral fat on your liver.
What can you do?
Eat a low GI diet and follow the recommendations of the Measure Up Program go to www.glycemicindex.com and www.australia.gov.au/MeasureUp for more information. Do some strength training – muscle is more sensitive to insulin than fat and most other organs. Aim for some aerobic/cardiovascular training on most days. Ideally you should be aiming for 60-90 minutes a day for weight loss. Get a good night’s sleep and reduce stress.
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