Measuring your waist and hip circumference
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and healthcare professionals recommend the following:
Waist
- Stand up straight and place a measuring tape around your middle, just above your hip bones.
- Measure at the level of the top of the hip bones and in line with your belly button.
- Keep the measuring tape horizontal around your waist.
- Do not compress the skin, but keep the measuring tape snug around your waist.
- Breathe out before measuring.
Hips
- Measure at the widest portion of the buttocks, making sure the measuring tape is horizontal.
Every person is different, so it is important to talk to your healthcare provider about excess visceral abdominal fat.