Diet Talk from the Doc
by Dr.Diet, Diet.com's Medical Director

A tape measure rather than the scale may be a better predictor of heart disease risk, according to one study. Even a little bulge around the middle can put you at increased risk, say researchers.

Waist size best predictor of heart risk: study
To read the full article, click here:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/print/CTVNews/20060926/waist_health_060926/20060926/?hub=CTVNewsAt11&subhub=PrintStory

Dr. Diet weighs in:

I always measure the waist circumference on my patients.

We have learned a lot about the type of fat around your midsection and how this fat can be linked to hormone changes that can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.

Here are the above-mentioned Canadian guidelines for waist size that can be measured just above the hip bone:

--Men: should be below 35.5 inches (American guidelines – 40 inches)

--Women: should be below 31.5 inches (American guidelines – 35.5 inches)

We talk a lot about maintaining a healthy BMI (body mass index) but people do need to be more aware of maintaining a healthy waist circumference.

If you find your waist circumference is above the above parameters, it’s prudent to see your health care professional and engage in a healthy lifestyle weight management program.