Re: Do You Measure Up?

[Guest guest]

, Did it clarify what part of the waist was measured? I have

seen men who have 50 inches around their belly button region but

swear to have 38 waists because they wear their pants below the

belly. Myself I tend to measure high on the waist as I am smaller

around the rib cage region than the belly button zone! hugs, cindylee

>

> Hi Kids!!!

>

> Saw the following article in today's (06/13/08) NY Times online.

> Seems the Japanese government is measuring their citizen's

> waistlines to determine if they're overweight.

>

> " Under a national law that came into effect two months ago,

> companies and local governments must now measure the waistlines of

> Japanese people between the ages of 40 and 74 as part of their

> annual checkups. That represents more than 56 million waistlines,

or

> about 44 percent of the entire population.

>

> Those exceeding government limits — 33.5 inches for men and 35.4

> inches for women, which are identical to thresholds established in

> 2005 for Japan by the International Diabetes Federation as an easy

> guideline for identifying health risks — and having a weight-

related

> ailment will be given dieting guidance if after three months they

do

> not lose weight. If necessary, those people will be steered toward

> further re-education after six more months. "

>

> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/world/asia/13fat.html?

> pagewanted=1 & _r=2 & no_interstitial

>

> I found the article rather interesting and a little frightening.

> Imagine if the US started measuring waistlines. I know that when I

> weighed 430 pounds, I hated having anyone lecture me about my

> weight. Yes...I knew I was overweight and had a family history of

> diabetes, hypertension and cancer, but I was tired of hearing " you

> have such a pretty face " or having my weight blamed for any of my

so-

> called ailments... " you have a cold/ear infection/sprained ankle

> because you're so fat. "

>

> Granted the Japanese government wants to encourage its citizens to

> develop healthier lifestyles, but I think it's intrusive to start

> measuring waistlines.

>

> " Some experts say the government's guidelines on everything from

> waistlines to blood pressure are so strict that meeting, or

> exceeding, those targets will be impossible. They say that the

> government's real goal is to shift health care costs onto the

> private sector. "

>

> So do you measure up? Would you pass the Japanese guidelines? I

just

> checked my waist measurement and it's 43 inches. By their

standards,

> I would be overweight and need " dieting guidance. " Doesn't matter

> that my BP averages 110/70, my fasting blood suger is consisently

> good or even low and my cholesterol level is below 100. I would

> still be " overweight " or " metabo. "

>

> So far they're just talking dieting guidance. What's to stop them

> from taxing overweight folks because they're costing the health

> system more. Just how much of a Big Brother do we really need?

>

> <----getting off soapbox and creeping back into lurkdom

>

> Banks - Ontario, CA

> RNY - 12/21/00 - Pacific Bariatrics/San Diego, CA

> RNY to DS Revision - 9/23/03 - Ara Keshishian/Delano, CA

>

> Highest Weight: 420 - BMI 74

> RNY Pre-Op: 405 - BMI 72

> DS Revision: 285 - BMI 50

> Current Weight: 210 - BMI 37

> 210 pounds of excess weight gone

>

> Lower Body Lift performed on 11/24/04 (My 40th birthday present to

> myself)

> J Katzen MD - Beverly Hills, CA

>