Before we provide useful health tips to determine whether you have abdominal obesity, let us first define what obesity is.
Obesity is defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) exceeding 30. BMI is calculated by dividing the weight of a person by the square of his or her height. Weight is measured in kilograms and height in meters.
The BMI thresholds are:
o Underweight BMI: less than 18.5
o Normal BMI: 18.5 to 24.9
o Overweight BMI: 25.0 to 30.0
o Obese BMI: greater than 30.0
In the past, doctors were quite contented to use BMI figures solely to determine a person’s weight and its effects on health.
Doctors are increasing referring to abdominal obesity as a complimentary, and perhaps a more reliable indicator of health.
Generally, there are 3 kinds of people defined by the way they accumulate fat:
o Those who accumulate fat around their bellies but not on their arms
o Those who accumulate fat around their bellies plus arms and legs
o Those who accumulate fat around their hips and thighs
What are the 2 indicators of abdominal obesity?
1. First Indicator: by body shape
A person’s body shape is a good indicator of where fat is accumulated. Here Useful Health Tips introduce 2 body shapes:
o An apple-shaped body: as the name suggests, this type of person accumulates fat around his belly and abdomen. Imagine an apple – it is widest in the middle
o A pear-shaped body: a person with this body shape accumulates fat around his buttocks and thigh. Imagine a pear – it is widest towards the bottom
Generally speaking, men are more likely to be apple-shaped; women are more likely to be pear-shaped.
An apple-shaped person has a greater chance of getting heart disease, stroke, diabetes etc compared to a pear-shaped person.
2. Second Indicator: by girth measurement
Another indicator which is more quantitative is the girth measurement. Take a tape measurement around the circumference of your waist just above the belly button. Useful Health Tips advise the following criteria for indication of abdominal obesity:
o For men, a measurement of 40 inches or more
o For women, a measurement of 35 inches or more
Men and women having a girth more than the above have greater chances of getting diseases associated with abdominal obesity.
What are the diseases associated with abdominal obesity? Useful Health Tips list the following:
o Cardiovascular disease
o Hormonal cancers like breast cancer
o Ovulatory dysfunction
o Insulin resistance leading to Type 2 diabetes
What are the remedial measures to reduce abdominal obesity?
1. Diet: read a good book on to get useful health tips on balanced diets
2. Exercise: do regular exercises and avoid a sedentary lifestyle
3. Weight loss program: Join a good weight loss program.
In choosing a weight loss program, remember to watch out for the following:
o Should not cost you an arm and a leg
o Should not claim that you can only lose a limited amount of weight
o Should not require some secret potion and pill for you to take
o Should not require some crazy equipment that you need to exercise with
o Must come with a MONEY BACK GUARANTEE
In conclusion, Useful Health Tips suggest besides regularly monitoring other important indicators like blood pressure, blood glucose level, cholesterol level, BMI, you must not ignore tell tale signs of abdominal obesity.