Between the ages of 50 and 79, 50% of men and 70% of women in the United States now exceed the waist circumference limit for Abdominal Obesity. When men’s and women’s body fat percentages are compared, men have about twice as much visceral fat as premenopausal women. In both men and women, central obesity is linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
In terms of regional fat distribution, there are sex-related variances. Estrogen is thought to increase fat storage in the buttocks, thighs, and hips in women. Fat migrates from the buttocks, hips, and thighs to the belly when women attain menopause, and the estrogen generated by the ovaries decreases. Due to sex hormone differences, males are more susceptible to upper-body fat accumulation, most frequently in the belly. Despite the disparities, coronary artery disease rates are the same in men and women at any given level of central obesity as defined by waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio.
The waist circumference and the waist-to-hip ratio, often known as the waist-to-hip ratio, are the two most frequent measures to evaluate abdominal obesity. Body mass index (BMI) provides a more accurate estimation of body fat than skinfold measurements. Despite being the official standard, the BMI has significant problems. People with small frames, big frames, muscular and athletic people are all too susceptible to falling into the “overweight” classifications. It’s useful for tracking average changes in populations over time, but it’s not particularly trustworthy at the individual level. BMI also ignores a person’s body composition and shape, which are the unique properties of bone, muscle, and fat. But it is still a predictor of future health problems, such as becoming overweight, diabetic, or obese.
To determine the quantity of visceral fat, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most accurate way. However, they are costly and necessitate specialized equipment. Calculating the waist-to-hip ratio is a much easier procedure. Measure your waist at the navel with your abdomen relaxed. Then, measure your hips at their widest position, which is normally where the bony prominences are. Finally, divide your waist circumference (in inches) by your hip circumference (in inches). As a man’s ratio grows above 0.95, his risk of having a heart attack or stroke rises continuously; for women, the risk begins to rise above 0.85. The waist-to-hip ratio is a very useful measurement.