Advocates against obesity blame the “alarming” waistline figures on government inaction and call for an end to promotions of unhealthy foods.
Data from a large-scale survey across the UK shows that the average waist circumference for women is 88.9 cm, up from more than 81.28 cm in the 1990s, according to The Telegraph.
Nearly half of women are now classified as having an “extremely high waist circumference,” which means at least 88 cm.
A slimmer waist may help reduce the risk of developing several chronic diseases – (Image: INTEGRIS HEALTH).
The presentation from the Government’s Office for Health Improvement shows that the proportion of women falling into this category has doubled since 1993.
Men’s waistlines have also continued to expand over the same period, albeit at a slower rate.
Specifically, the average waist circumference for men is now 97 cm, up from 93 cm.
In total, 36% of men are classified as having an “extremely high waist circumference,” meaning at least 102 cm. In the 1990s, only 20% of men fell into this category.
Experts say that too many people eat as if “every day is Christmas,” leading to dangerously expanding waistlines.
A draft guideline from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) urges everyone aged 5 and older to frequently measure their waist and check if it is less than half their height.
This means that someone 178 cm tall should have a waist of less than 89 cm.
At the beginning of 2023, a study from the University of Oxford found that an additional 2.5 cm in waist circumference increases the risk of heart failure by 11%.
Experts state that these findings provide further evidence that waist measurement is much more significant than overall weight.
Excess visceral fat, located around internal organs, can impair the functioning of the heart and blood vessels.
Health charities state that these findings are “very concerning.” They also call for the government to act to reduce the marketing, advertising, and promotion of unhealthy foods. Mr. James Leiper, deputy medical director at the British Heart Foundation, stated: “A larger waist measurement is linked to an increased risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes, which can lead to heart and circulatory diseases.” Mr. Malcolm Clark, senior policy manager at Cancer Research UK, warned: “Being overweight or obese is the second biggest cause of cancer in the UK after smoking, and is linked to 13 different types of cancer.” |
