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Waist Circumference
Can Help Diagnose Diabetes
Obesity appears to be a key to early diabetes.
The risk rises 6 percent for every 5 - 8 pounds
of extra weight. According to the US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and health
departments in 10 countries, waist circumference
and body mass index (BMI)--a measure of a person's
weight in relation to their height--can identify
the likelihood of specific diseases.
The CDC researchers found that people with similar
waist circumferences had comparable rates of Type
2 diabetes regardless of age and that in women,
the rate of heart disease rose as both BMI and waist
circumference increased.
The authors, Dr. Jaap C. Seidell from the National
Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection
in Bilthoven, the Netherlands, and colleagues, recommend
that primary care doctors use BMI and waist circumference
as tools to discuss prevention with their patients.
Previous
research has shown that people who develop excess
weight in their abdomen, or those with an “apple-shaped''
body, have a higher risk of certain chronic disorders
than people who tend to gain weight in their buttocks
and thighs, or those who have “pear-shaped''
bodies. Waist circumference can gauge a person's
overall pattern of weight gain.
SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
2001;73:123-126.
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