Measuring Fat
Wondering if you’re too fat? Maybe you should jump on the scales and find out. Wrong!
Health and fitness expert, Dr Garry Egger, says that scales measure a whole range of things including the weight of muscle, hair and bone. He recommends using a tape measure to measure body fat.
How to measure up
Measure around the waist at about the navel for men, and at the narrowest point between the hips and the ribs for women.
Make sure the tape is level and parallel to the floor.
The ideal reading is <100cm for men and <90cm for women. If your measurement is higher, you have an increased risk for a whole range of different diseases, including heart disease, late onset or type 2 diabetes, gallstones and some forms of cancer. (Note: Asians, Indians and indigenous Australians should measure around 10cm less.)
Further information
Dr Garry Egger started GutBusters, a scientifically based program which uses waist measurement, not weight, as an indication of fat loss in men. To contact GutBusters phone 1800 674 688, or visit their website: http://www.gutbusters.com.au