This isn’t an edict from the glut of women’s magazines cramming the newsagents shelves. No, it’s a medical warning delivered by charity Nuffield Health and endorsed by its doctors.
You see, more than half of British women have waists larger than the recommended healthy size. In more simple English: you’re too fat.
Researchers at Nuffield Health found the average waist measurement for women is 84.9cm (33.43in), compared with the healthy size of 80cm (31.49in).
And while it may seem only a couple of pesky inches we’re talking about here, those extra fat cells cause an increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, infertility and cancer.
Translation, again: it may kill you.
Nuffield Health’s Dr Davina Deniszczyc said the fat issue was a “worrying problem.”
“Whilst waist size may seem like a cosmetic issue, this isn’t about women fitting into their skinny jeans,” she said.
“Rather, it’s an important indicator of overall health and well-being, particularly when taken into account with other health measurements.”
Nuffield Health examined data from more than 30,000 women and found 57% had a waist larger than the healthy size.
Researchers also said 52.5% of the women have a body mass index (BMI) higher than the healthy range, while 16.2% were moderately or morbidly obese.
