Friday Favorites: What's the Ideal BMI and Waist Size?
Channel: NutritionFacts.org
Date: 2023-07-07

Is there a unisex chart to see what your optimal weight might be based on your height? Increased risk of metabolic complications starts at an abdominal circumference of 31.5 inches in women and 37 inches in most men, though it’s closer to 35.5 inches for South Asian, Chinese, and Japanese men.

This video may be triggering for people with a history of eating disorders. While there is an optimum waist size for health, it is important that one does not go to extreme measures to achieve these numbers, as this can result in devastating physical and mental consequences. For those struggling with an eating disorder, consider checking out https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/.

If you missed the previous videos in this obesity series, see:
• The Best Knee Replacement Alternative for Osteoarthritis Treatment (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-best-knee-replacement-alternative-for-osteoarthritis-treatment)
• The Effects of Obesity on Back Pain, Blood Pressure, Cancer, and Diabetes (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-effects-of-obesity-on-back-pain-blood-pressure-cancer-and-diabetes)
• The Effects of Obesity on Dementia, Brain Function, and Fertility (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-effects-of-obesity-on-dementia-brain-function-and-fertility)
• The Effects of Obesity on Gallstones, Acid Reflux, and Cardiovascular Disease (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-effects-of-obesity-on-gallstones-acid-reflux-and-cardiovascular-disease)
• The Effects of Obesity on the Immune System and Kidney and Liver Diseases (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-effects-of-obesity-on-the-immune-system-and-kidney-and-liver-diseases/)
• Is the Obesity Paradox Real or a Myth? (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/is-the-obesity-paradox-real-or-a-myth/)

While we should not understate the health risks that obesity raises—all of which are outlined in my series on the ABCs of obesity—we also recognize the effects that stigma against body size has on one’s health.:
https://nutritionfacts.org/video/weight-bias-hating-their-guts/ (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/weight-bias-hating-their-guts/)
https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-impacts-of-weight-bias-in-health-care/ (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-impacts-of-weight-bias-in-health-care/)

I cover all of this and more at length in my book How Not to Diet (https://nutritionfacts.org/how-not-to-diet/). Its companion Cookbook (https://nutritionfacts.org/book/how-not-to-diet-cookbook/) has more than 100 delicious Green-Light recipes that incorporate some of my 21 Tweaks (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/trailer-for-how-not-to-diet-dr-gregers-guide-to-weight-loss/) for the acceleration of body fat loss.

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Want to get a list of links to all the scientific sources used in this video? Click on Sources Cited at https://nutritionfacts.org/video/friday-favorites-whats-the-ideal-bmi-and-waist-size. You’ll also find a transcript and acknowledgements for the video, my blog and speaking tour schedule, and an easy way to search (by translated language even) through our videos spanning more than 2,000 health topics. 

Thanks for watching. I hope you’ll join in the evidence-based nutrition revolution!
-Michael Greger, MD FACLM

Captions for this video are available in several languages; you can find yours in the video settings. View important information about our translated resources: https://nutritionfacts.org/translations-info/

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