Your waistline and obesity

[Guest guest]

(HealthDay News) -- You may have heard that a high body mass index

raises your risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. But research

has shown that other body measurements -- like your waistline -- can

also affect disease risk, the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation

says.

So take your tape measure, stand with your feet together, and measure

midway between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hipbones.

Here's what the numbers show:

If your waist circumference is 36 inches or more, your weight

distribution probably is unhealthy and you're at increased risk for

diabetes and heart disease.

The lower your hip to waist ratio, the better. For example, a woman

with a 30-inch waist and 40-inch hips would have a ratio of .74 and be

at low risk; one with a 41-inch waist and 39-inch hips would have a

ratio of 1.05 and be at increased risk.