Stockport String
Another way to find out if you’re carrying weight around your middle is to measure your waist to height ratio.
Carrying weight around your middle means that you’re at a higher risk of developing health problems. For example:
- type 2 diabetes
- high blood pressure
- heart disease
- some cancers
The Stockport String Test is a really easy way to measure your waist to height ratio, using only a piece of string.
First, measure your height with a piece of string:
- take your shoes off and stand against a wall
- cut a piece of string so that the string is a measurement of how tall you are
- fold the string in half
- find a place in your middle that is halfway between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your pelvis almost exactly where your belly button is
- wrap the folded string around your waist
If the string fits round your waist it shows that you're not carrying weight around your middle and you're at a lower risk of developing some health problems.
If the string does not fit around your waist the advice is to:
- cut down on your calories
- reduce your alcohol consumption
- move more