If you’re only looking at the numbers on your scale or calculating your body mass index (BMI), you might not be as healthy as you think. Here’s why: Both methods measure your body’s overall weight—not where fat has amassed on your body. And believe it or not, location matters. Research continues to show that fat that accumulates at your waistline may be more dangerous for long-term health than fat that shows up elsewhere on the body. A recent study found that middle-age women with a waist measurement of more than 35 inches increased their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 92 percent and cancer by 53 percent. “Even if you’re in the normal BMI range [18.5–24.9], but have a waist measurement of 35 inches or above, you could have a higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease,” says Rob van Dam, assistant professor at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, citing the recently released Nurses’ Health Study. To measure your waistline, wrap a measuring tape around your midsection where the sides are narrowest (usually at navel height) and take a measurement while exhaling. The ideal waistline measurement falls around 28 inches for women.
