Your waist size may reveal health risks BMI misses
A study from Rutgers Health indicates that measuring waist circumference is a highly effective and simple way to identify health risks associated with excess body fat. Researchers found this basic measurement to be as accurate as more complex frameworks that combine multiple body metrics.
Why it matters
This provides a practical, low-cost tool for doctors and patients to screen for metabolic health risks like diabetes and heart disease without needing advanced equipment.
A simple measurement around the waist could reveal important health risks that weight alone may miss, according to new research from Rutgers Health.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open , found that measuring waist circumference, either by itself or together with body mass index (BMI), was about as effective as a more complicated new approach that relies on several different body measurements.
The results suggest that something as basic as checking waist size could give doctors and patients a practical way to identify potentially unhealthy levels of body fat and recognize related health concerns earlier.
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