What Is The Equation For Measuring Belly Fat?

Being overweight or obese exposes you to increased risk of developing coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, hypertension and some types of cancer. But where you carry the extra body fat matters, too. According to the Weight-control Information Network, carrying excess belly or waist fat makes you more likely to develop health problems than if you carry most of your body fat in your hips or thighs.

Measurement

You don't need to do any complicated calculations to measure your belly fat: All you need is a flexible measuring tape. Strip down to thin shorts or your underwear and wrap the measuring tape around your abdomen, just above your hip bones. Slide your shorts down, if necessary, so the tape measure lays flat on your skin. You might need a friend's help to make sure the tape measure is parallel to the floor and snug but not compressing your skin all the way around.

Interpretation

If you're a man with a waist circumference of more than 40 inches, or a woman with a waist circumference of more than 35 inches, you're at high risk of developing a number of obesity-related conditions. The the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute recommends using waist circumference to determine increased risk if you have an overweight or obese body mass index rating, but notes that a high waist circumference can still indicate increased risk, even if you're considered normal weight.

Associated Risks

A high waist-circumference measurement puts you at increased risk for many of the same conditions associated with obesity, including hypertension, high blood cholesterol and triglycerides, coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that if your waist circumference places you in this high-risk category, you should consult a health care provider to create a weight-loss plan.

Exceptions

The ordinary 35- or 40-inch cut-offs for waist circumference measurements don't apply if you're pregnant or less than 5 feet tall. Waist-circumference measurements are also less useful if you have a BMI of 35 or above, which automatically places you at very high or extremely high risk of obesity-related conditions.

Waist to Hip Ratio

For another waist-related measurement of your health risk, calculate your waist-to-hip ratio. Measure around your buttocks at the largest circumference, then measure around the narrowest part of your waist. Divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement. If the result is greater than 1 for men, or greater than 0.85 for women, consider losing weight to reduce your risk of developing obesity-related diseases.