“How Your Waist Affects Your Health”

What Your Waist Tells You: It's an easy measuring stick for good health. That's partly because it helps estimate a type of fat called "visceral," which forms deep inside your belly area and around your organs. In general, the larger your waist, the more likely you are to have it. Too much of any body fat is bad, but visceral fat may be worse than others. It makes you more likely to get a number of serious illnesses.

What's Wrong With Visceral Fat? As it breaks down, visceral fat sometimes puts too many fatty acids into your blood, which raises your chances of heart disease, Alzheimer's, and high cholesterol. It could also make your body more resistant to insulin, which can lead to type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes. Plus, proteins from visceral fat may inflame body tissues and narrow blood vessels, which can raise your blood pressure.

How Big Is Too Big? Everyone is different, but there are general guidelines about waistlines. In women, 35 inches or more is typically a sign of visceral fat. In men, it's 40. These numbers may be slightly higher if your body is naturally very large. They're lower for people with Asian backgrounds: 31.5 for women and 35.5 for men. Talk to your doctor to be sure about your waist size.

Belly Fat vs. Visceral Fat: Belly fat that you see and feel pushing against your jeans is often a sign of visceral fat, but not always. It's possible to have fat just under the skin and very little visceral fat. Sumo wrestlers who train daily, for example, often have very large waists and high BMIs and yet relatively low visceral fat. This can change very quickly, of course, when these athletes stop working out.

Is Lean Always OK? Just as a large waist doesn't always mean too much visceral fat, a slim waist doesn't always mean you're in the clear. Your visceral fat may be too high even if your waist size is in the safe range. Doctors have a term for this: TOFI, which stands for "Thin Outside Fat Inside."

Metabolic Syndrome: The size of your waist is one of five things that can be a sign of a problem called metabolic syndrome. The other four are high levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar. Any one of these by itself could be a sign of serious illness. When you have three or more of them together, it adds up to metabolic syndrome -- a situation that raises your chances of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

Waist-to-Hip Ratio: It's another way to check the health of your waistline. You simply divide the distance around your waist by the distance around your hips. Anything higher than 0.85 for women and 0.95 for men could mean your health is at risk. Some doctors prefer the waist-to-hip ratio to a simple waist measurement, but studies suggest the two approaches are equally good at predicting health problems.

BMI: Body mass index (BMI) is another measure of visceral fat that collects around your middle. Online tools will calculate the number for you if you plug in your height and weight. The normal range is from 18.5 on the thinner side to 24.5 on the heavier side. Researchers say Asian Americans should see their doctor if they have a BMI of 23 or higher, since they may have too much visceral fat at that lower BMI range.

Measure Your Waist the Right Way: Accuracy is important. Stand up with your measuring tape. Make sure the tape stays straight as you measure around your waist and above your hip bones -- about in line with your belly button. And sorry, you can't suck in your gut to get a lower number! You should be relaxed and take the measurement just after you breathe out, not after you breathe in.  

Are You an Apple or a Pear? An apple-shaped body, more common in men, means you tend to store fat around your stomach, while your lower body stays thin. That often means more visceral fat and so more health problems. A "pear shape" means your body stores fat in the hip and thigh area. It's more common among women and might be part of why women typically live longer than men.

Exercise: Even if you don't lose weight, exercise can burn visceral fat and build muscle. It doesn't take much. Take the dog for a brisk walk or go for a bike ride. Thirty minutes of physical activity on most days of the week will do the trick. Throw in some muscle-building exercise with weights, push-ups, or yoga to increase your fat-burning at rest. Check with your doctor first if you haven't been active much, are older, or have health problems.

What You Eat: More calcium seems to help women lose visceral fat. Look for it in leafy greens, dairy, and fatty fish like sardines. Trans fats and fructose-sweetened foods, on the other hand, seem to encourage belly fat. Read the nutrition label, and try to avoid the bad stuff. And eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains like oatmeal and quinoa, and lean protein like skinless chicken, fish, eggs, beans, and low-fat dairy.

Reviewed by: Melinda Ratini, DO, MS on October 11, 2019

Sources:

British Journal of Radiology: "Comparison of 3 T MRI and CT for the measurement of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue in humans."
CDC: "Healthy Eating for a Healthy Weight," "Diabetes: Not Just Your Grandma's Diabetes," "Diabetes and Asian Americans," "Healthy Weight."
Cleveland Clinic: "Your Waist-to-Height Ratio: A Better Tool to Measure Your Health."
Current Opinion in Endocrinology & Diabetes and Obesity: "Healthy obese persons: how can they be identified and do metabolic profiles stratify risk?"
Harvard Health Publishing: "Taking aim at belly fat," "Abdominal fat and what to do about it," "Big thighs may be wise," "Why worry about your waistline?"
Harvard School of Public Health: "Waist Size Matters," "Abdominal Obesity Measurement Guidelines for Different Ethnic Groups."
Johns Hopkins University: "The Skinny on Visceral Fat."
Joslin Diabetes Center Asian American Diabetes Initiative: "What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?"
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: "Assessing Your Weight and Health Risk," "Metabolic Syndrome."
Nutrition Journal: "The study of anthropometric estimates in the visceral fat of healthy individuals."
University of Houston Center For Wellness Without Borders: "The 3 Somatotypes."

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine, #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2LiveWell

The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

The contents of the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites ("Content") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites!

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Sites. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine or other visitors to the Sites is solely at your own risk.  

“Conditions That Can Cause Weight Gain”

Hypothyroidism: You may start packing on the pounds if your thyroid, a small, butterfly-shaped gland in your neck, stops making enough hormones. It also could thin your hair, dry your skin, and make you feel colder, tired, constipated, and even depressed. A simple blood test can confirm if your hormone levels are low, and artificial hormones can help you feel better. 

Depression: Weight gain and even obesity are among the possible physical side effects. People with this mood disorder often have higher levels of the “stress hormone” cortisol, which may cause fat to gather around your belly. Or you may pack on the pounds because you feel too down to eat right or exercise. Certain medications used to treat the condition also could do it. Talk to your doctor or a therapist if you feel depressed.

Insomnia: People who get less than 6 hours of shut-eye a night tend to have more body fat. About 8 hours is the sweet spot for keeping the weight off. Lack of sleep can cause your body to make too much of the hormones cortisol and insulin, which can add pounds. It also can mess up the hormones that signal hunger and make you crave food, especially those loaded with fat and sugar.

Menopause: Less estrogen during menopause can put more fat around your belly. But less hormones isn’t the only cause. Hot flashes, sleep problems, and moodiness linked to the end of a woman’s fertility may get in the way of healthy eating and exercise. If you’re already sleep deprived and depressed, you might reach for a candy bar instead of making a nutritious meal. Your doctor can suggest ways to help with your symptoms.

Cushing’s Disease: Usually, cortisol helps keep your blood pressure and blood sugar in a healthy range. But when your adrenal glands make too much of this stress hormone, it can add fat to your belly and the base of your neck. You might bruise more and notice weaker, thinner limbs, a round face, and big purple stretch marks. Your doctor will try to figure out the cause, and then treat it with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or drugs to lower cortisol.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: There’s no one test that can tell a woman she has this disease. You may skip periods, sprout more hair on your face or body, or get acne. Also, cysts may grow on your ovaries. Too much male androgen hormone causes it. You also could gain weight because you’re less sensitive to insulin, a hormone that helps your body turn blood sugar into energy. Your doctor can help balance or replace the hormones.

Congestive Heart Failure: It’s when your heart doesn’t pump hard enough. Sudden weight gain -- 2-3 pounds in a day or more than 5 pounds a week -- could mean it’s getting worse. You also might have swollen feet and ankles, a faster pulse, heavy breathing, high blood pressure, memory loss, and confusion. You might want to track these symptoms so you can tell your doctor about abrupt changes. Together, you can adjust your treatment for better health.

Sleep Apnea: If you’re a noisy snorer or feel drowsy during the day, it could be a sign you may have this serious condition. Your airway regularly cuts off breathing for a few seconds in your sleep. Being overweight or obese is one cause of sleep apnea, but it can also be a symptom. The condition could make you more likely to have liver problems, heart failure, and high blood pressure. Your doctor might suggest a CPAP breathing machine or other treatments.

Edema: Feeling a bit puffy? This condition happens when your body is holding too much water, usually in your arms and legs. A limb might look swollen and feel tight and hard to move. Edema itself is not usually a big deal. Diuretics, also called water pills, can help get rid of it if it doesn’t get better on its own. But you and your doctor should work to manage the underlying cause, like heart, kidney, liver, and lung diseases, which can be quite serious.

Metabolic Syndrome: It’s a group of conditions that happens together and raises your chances of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and body fat may be at unhealthy levels. There might be no obvious symptoms except for extra pounds that add up around your waist. Your doctor can help you manage it with changes in diet and exercise as well as medicine and, in rare cases, weight loss surgery.

Diabetes: Depending on the type, you can treat diabetes with a mix of diet, exercise, insulin, and medication. Insulin helps your body use energy. But it also makes it easier for your body to store the energy, which often can lead to weight gain. Plus, you may be tempted to eat more to prevent low blood sugar from some of the treatments. Talk to your doctor about how to best balance diet, exercise, insulin, and medication to manage your weight and your diabetes.

Steroids: Your doctor might call them corticosteroids. You can use them to treat asthma, some types of arthritis, and other conditions. The higher the dose and the longer you take steroids, the more likely they are to make you extra hungry! That could lead to overeating and weight gain. Talk to your doctor about how best to manage the side effects of your steroid treatment.

Common Medications: One drug might make you hungry. Another might slow your body’s calorie burn or change the way your body absorbs nutrients. Some just make your body hang on to more water. Sometimes, scientists don’t know for sure why a drug causes weight gain. Common examples are birth control pills, antipsychotics, antidepressants, epilepsy drugs, and beta-blockers (for high blood pressure).

Reviewed by: Melinda Ratini, DO, MS on November 16, 2018

Sources:

American Heart Association: “Managing Heart Failure Symptoms.”
American Thyroid Association: “Hypothyroidism.”
Cleveland Clinic: “My Diabetes Is Controlled — But Why Am I Gaining Weight?” “Can Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Make You Gain Weight?”
Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine: “Sleep and Disease Risk.”
HelpGuide.org: “How Excess Weight Affects Your Health.”
Johns Hopkins Medicine: “Metabolic Syndrome.”
Mayo Clinic: “Edema,” “Depression (major depressive disorder),” “Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).”
National Health Service: “Nine medical reasons for putting on weight.”
National Sleep Foundation: “What is Sleep Apnea?” “How Losing Sleep Affects Your Body and Mind.”
NCBI Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care: “Causes and signs of edema.”
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: “Cushing's Syndrome.”
North American Menopause Society: “Midlife Weight Gain—Sound Familiar? You’re Not Alone.”
SleepApnea.org: “Your weight matters: obesity and sleep apnea.”
University of Rochester Medical Center: “When Your Weight Gain Is Caused by Medicine.”
Womenshealth.gov: “Menopause.”

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2Live

The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

The contents of the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites ("Content") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites!

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Sites. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine or other visitors to the Sites is solely at your own risk.