More evidence that waist size is a much better measure of health than the BMI

The body mass index (BMI) is the standard and most commonly-used method for assessing body weight by health professionals, though there is quite a body of evidence which shows it is a generally useless marker for health. A better measure appears to be waist size, as this is a better gauge of excess weight around the midriff (the type of excess baggage most strongly associated with diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes). In a recent study which I blogged about on Monday, increased waist size was found to be associated with an increased risk of death, even in individuals deemed 'healthy' according to their BMI. For more on this story, click this link.