Waist size can be indicator of pre-diabetes

 

Health Feature Articles

 

Waist size can be indicator of pre-diabetes

Lydia Kaume, Ph.D., RDN, LD, Assistant Extension Professional and Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, Jackson County, University of Missouri Extension

 

Even in the 21st century, a tape measure may be quite telling.
The past few years have seen the emergence of useful and powerful
electronic devices equipped with sophisticated sensors that check
our heart rate, blood pressure, steps, etc. These tools help
us keep our health in check. The tape measure is not as widely used but it can reveal a lot.

 

Research shows that waistline measurement is a good indicator of
diabetes risk and is generally more accurate than body mass index (BMI) readings. This
is because belly fat deposited around the waist invades the spaces
between our organs, causing insulin resistance. Insulin resistance
causes pre-diabetes and diabetes.

 

Waist size

 

According to the National Institutes of Health, a waist size
greater than 35 inches for women or greater than 40 inches for men
increases your risk for diabetes. To correctly measure your
waist, stand and place a tape measure around your middle, just above
your hipbones. The tape measure will usually pass within an inch or
so of your belly button. Measure your waist just after you breathe
out.

 

Insulin resistance and belly fat

 

Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, moves glucose or sugar
generated from the food we eat out of the bloodstream and into the
body’s cells, where it is either burned for immediate energy or
stored for later use.

 

Insulin resistance occurs because of problems with the cells preventing sugar
from entering. This causes the pancreas to produce more and more insulin to solve the problem. Our blood
sugar may gradually stay higher than normal.

 

Scientists believe that belly fat increases insulin resistance
because of its proximity to the portal vein, which carries blood from
the intestinal area to the liver. Substances released by belly fat
(visceral fat), including free fatty acids, enter the portal vein
and are transported to the liver. Studies show that waistline
measurements are directly linked with higher levels of total
cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower levels of
HDL (good) cholesterol, and insulin resistance/diabetes risk.

 

Studies also demonstrate that healthy fat tissue acts
as an active “organ,” releasing a variety of bioactive proteins into
our blood circulation. One of these important proteins is adiponectin. Adiponectin increases fat breakdown to release energy, which lowers the number of free fatty acids in the blood and
improves our cells’ response to insulin. However, excessive storage of fat, especially around the
organs, reduces the amounts of adiponectin produced, increasing our
risk for insulin resistance and other health problems.

 

Other risk factors

 

According to the American Diabetes Association, 1 in 3 American
adults has pre-diabetes. In addition to lifestyle, the following increases
our risk for insulin resistance/pre-diabetes and diabetes.

 

• Age — While we can’t stop the aging process,
  steps can be taken to
  reduce risk by staying active, eating a healthy diet,
  maintaining a healthy weight and keeping blood pressure under
  control.
  
   


• Family History — If a parent, sister or brother has been diagnosed
  with type 2 diabetes, there is higher risk for family members. To
  prevent or delay pre-diabetes, we need to exercise and maintain a healthy weight.
  
   


• Ethnicity — Pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes are more common among
  African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, American Indians, Asian
  Americans and Pacific Islanders.

 

Learn more about your risk and take a one-minute test at
www.diabetes.org

Last Updated
03/21/2016