Men’s Health – Belly Fat

About belly fat and health

Carrying excess fat around the waist can increase the risk of health problems such as heart and circulatory disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. This resource focuses on men’s health, but waist-size guidance can be useful for adults generally.

Checking your waist

The NHS uses waist-to-height ratio as one way to understand whether someone may be carrying too much fat around the tummy, alongside other measures such as BMI. A simple guide is to try to keep your waist measurement to less than half your height.

Reducing health risks

If you want to reduce excess weight, gradual changes to eating, physical activity, sleep and other lifestyle habits can help. Speak to a GP or another healthcare professional if you are worried about your weight, waist size or other health risks, or if you need support to make changes safely.