Is the waist circumference too thin and the thigh circumference too easy for diseases to get into the upper body?

Medically, it has long been established that body shape and health are closely related. In this issue, Life Times reporters synthesized domestic and foreign research and interviewed relevant domestic experts to help you interpret the health code in your body size. Take regular measurements one by one to see if your body size is up to standard.

neck circumference

Standard value: <38 cm for men,<35 cm for women, and generally neck circumference is equal to calf circumference

Measurement method: Place the tape measure horizontally on the thinnest part of the neck to measure, that is, the upper edge of the seventh cervical vertebra behind the neck (the most prominent part behind the neck you touch when you lower your head), to the lower part of the Adam's apple in front.

Several studies have found that neck circumference is one of the "natural methods" to measure upper body fat, which is closely related to heart disease. Experts from the Framingham Heart Research Society in the United States surveyed 3300 volunteers with an average age of 51 years old. The results showed that for every 3 cm increase in neck circumference in men, the high-density lipoprotein in the body, commonly known as "good cholesterol", decreased by an average of 0.12 mmol/L. In women, it decreased by 0.15 mmol/L, which will cause more cholesterol in cells to be unable to be transported to the liver for metabolism. In other words, a thicker neck means a greater possibility of dyslipidemia and a higher risk of heart disease. Double chins and a short and thick neck may all be signs of unhealthy heart conditions.

Neck circumference is also related to sleep apnea. Shi Ming, deputy director of the Shanghai Insomnia Medical Collaboration Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine, told the Life Times reporter that among people suffering from apnea syndrome, most are obese, while people with thick necks are often obese throughout the body. If there is still airway stenosis, then the risk of suffering from apnea syndrome is relatively greater.

Experts say that even if your weight is normal, you should always pay attention to your neck circumference. If you feel that your necklace is getting shorter or your shirt collar is getting tighter, you should pay attention. In addition to ensuring a healthy diet, moderate exercise should also be done to reduce body fat, especially in the upper body.

waist circumference

Target value: <85 cm for men,<80 cm for women

Measurement method: Stand upright, your arms droop naturally, do not abdomen, keep breathing steadily, and wrap the tape around the waist horizontally along the upper edge of the navel and below the ribs, and measure the thinnest part of the waist.

Waist circumference is an important indicator of a person's life span. Researchers from Harvard University, Boston Hospital and other institutions in the United States analyzed the disease records and waistlines of 44,600 women and found that women with waistlines of more than 89 centimeters had a 79% higher risk of early death than women with waistlines of less than 71 centimeters. The waist and abdomen are also the concentrated place for important organs such as the kidneys, pancreas, and liver. If there is too much fat, it will destroy the insulin system and increase the risk of diseases such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, fatty liver, and diabetes. Not only that, the World Cancer Research Fund once reported that for every inch increase in waist circumference, the risk of cancer increases eightfold.

It should be reminded that even those who reach the right weight range also have a higher risk of heart attack if they accumulate too much fat on their waist. Sedentary inactivity, poor diet and genetic factors are the main causes of bucket waist. The "Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Overweight and Obesity in Adults in China" issued by the National Health and Family Planning Commission clearly stipulates that men's waist circumference is ≥85 cm and women's waist circumference is ≥80 cm. Experts suggest that people with excessive waistlines should change their lifestyle as soon as possible, exercise for more than half an hour a day, and do moderate-intensity aerobic exercise such as brisk walking and jogging at least 5 days a week. At the same time, quit smoking and limit alcohol, eat reasonable meals, eat less high-oil and high-fat foods, and eat more vegetables and fruits.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Compliance value: 18.5~23.9

Calculation method: BMI= weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared

BMI is a world-recognized grading method for assessing the degree of obesity. According to the "Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Overweight and Obesity in Adults in China" issued by the Ministry of Health in 2003, a BMI of more than 24 is overweight, and a BMI of more than 28 is obese. The World Health Organization recommends that a BMI between 20 and 22 is the ideal weight for adults. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that East Asians such as China, Japan and South Korea had the lowest risk of death with a BMI of 22.6 to 27.4.

waist-hip ratio

Target value: male <0.9, female <0.8

Measurement method: After measuring the waist circumference, measure the hip circumference around the widest part of the buttocks. Divide the two to get the waist-to-hip ratio = waist circumference/hip circumference.

Gou Bo, a professor at the Department of Health Sciences at Xi'an Institute of Physical Education, told reporters that "waist-to-hip ratio" is an important indicator for judging abdominal obesity. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine involving more than 350,000 people in nine European countries found that waist-to-hip ratio is a more accurate measure of a person's health standards than BMI. Studies have shown that for every 0.1 increase in waist-to-hip ratio, the risk of premature death increases by 34% in men and by 23% in women. The evaluation method recommended by the American Society of Sports Medicine is that when men's waist-to-hip ratio is greater than or equal to 0.94 and women's waist-to-hip ratio is greater than or equal to 0.82, their risk of developing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and stroke and diabetes will increase greatly. Professor Xing Xiaoyan of the Endocrinology Department of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital said that the waist-to-hip ratio in China is higher than 0.9 and in women is higher than 0.8, which may indicate excessive visceral fat. In addition to exercising, these people should also pay attention to the diet of less refined and more coarse. They should replace part of the polished rice and white flour with beans and coarse grains, eat less fat meat and fried products, and change the cooking method of frying and frying to steaming and stewing.

body fat rate

Target value: 15%~20% for men, 25%~28% for women

Measurement method: People in need can go to a fitness venue or hospital to use professional instruments to make measurements.

Most people judge whether they are obese by their weight, which is actually inaccurate. Gou Bo pointed out that a more accurate criterion for judging whether obesity should be the body fat rate, which is the percentage of fat in the body as a percentage of total body weight. Fat is very important to the composition of the human body. Too much or too little can affect health. Generally speaking, men's body fat higher than 25% and women's body fat higher than 30% are obese, which can cause hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, diabetes and other diseases; the body fat rate is too low, that is, men's body fat is lower than 5%, and women's body fat is lower than 13%, which may cause physical dysfunction.

Gou Bo said that when many people talk about losing weight, they think it means losing weight. This is actually a misunderstanding. Controlling body fat rate is the key to healthy weight loss. It is best to do full-body aerobic exercise to lose weight, such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, climbing stairs, riding bicycles and other aerobic exercises, and can also be combined with local exercises such as sit-ups and dumbbells. Each exercise lasts at least half an hour. At the same time, change bad living habits such as sedentary and staying up late.

thigh circumference

Compliance value: 46 cm ~60 cm

Measurement method: Use a leather ruler horizontally around the uppermost part of the thigh and measure under the hip fold line.

Wang Jun, associate professor in the Sports Physiology Teaching and Research Section of Beijing Physical Education University, told the Life Times reporter that there is no uniform health standard for the thickness of thighs and calves. As long as they are symmetrical to the overall body, the thighs are thicker than the calves. Researchers at the University Hospital of Copenhagen in Denmark analyzed the height, weight, thigh circumference and disease conditions of 257 men and 155 women over 12 years and found that compared with subjects with thigh circumference close to 60 centimeters, the thigh circumference was less than 46 centimeters. The mortality rate increased threefold and the risk of heart disease tripled. Researchers believe that the length of the thigh circumference may be proportional to the weight of the myocardium. The thinner the thigh, the lighter the weight of the myocardium. Research also found that too thick thigh circumference increases the risk of obesity. Therefore, the researchers gave reference advice-the ideal thigh circumference should be 60 centimeters, not less than 46 centimeters.

calf circumference

Compliance value: >33 cm

Measurement method: Use a leather ruler to measure horizontally around the plump part of the calf.

A French study found that women with calf circumferences less than 33 centimeters have a relatively higher risk of developing carotid plaque, a known risk factor for stroke. If the calves are thicker, the subcutaneous fat on the calves will increase and store fatty acids that promote blood circulation to avoid the formation of carotid plaque. Therefore, too thin calves are not good for health, especially for women, and appropriate exercise should be exercised to strengthen their calves.

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