Canadian Obesity Care Clinic Locator

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Health is not determined by the amount of body fat alone but also by where the fat is located. While fat located inside your abdomen (belly-fat) is an important risk factor for diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, fatty liver and other metabolic problems, the fat on your hips and thighs are less associated with health problems.

This is why some researchers suggest measuring waist circumference to determine obesity related health risks. In Caucasians, a waist circumference of more than 35 inches in females and more than 40 inches in males suggests that an individual is at a higher risk of developing metabolic problems related to obesity.

BMI Body Mass Index

BMI should not be used to determine if you have obesity or not. BMI should be used as an assessment tool, not independently.

BMI calculates someone’s size, not identify their health.

The most common approach to measuring obesity is the Body Mass Index (BMI), which is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by his or her height in metres squared (kg/m2). This value is then matched to a weight classification on a BMI chart, where underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity are defined based on specific cut-offs.

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