Health Gem

IF YOU DO ONE THING THIS WEEK . .. Get to know your weight measurement

It’s a sobering wake-up call that the majority of adults in Ireland are overweight. Are you one of them?

Maybe you’ve put on a few pounds recently, or there’s a quiet niggle that more jeans have been getting consigned to the “skinny” box in the wardrobe over the years?

An indication of whether or not your weight is a potential health problem is right under your nose. Down around your bellybutton, in fact.

“A waist greater than 32” in adult women and 37” in men is an indicator that excess fat is being stored around organs like kidneys, liver and heart,” explains the safefood website.

“An increased waistline is a sign for most people that they may be at an increased health risk of conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.”

The place to measure is half-way between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone. For more details on how to find out that number, see “Stop the Spread” at safefood.eu.