Waistlines an important measure of cardiovascular risk

GPs are being urged to watch their patients’ waistlines after a worldwide study found Irish people are at a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

The study found that over 44% of Irish women and 32% of Irish men have large waistlines that put them at increased risk. According to international guidelines, a high waist circumference is above 88cm (35 inches) for women and above 102cm (40 inches) for men.

And a measurement of body mass found that 70% of Irish men and over 50% of Irish women are overweight. In fact, one-in-four Irish men and a fifth of Irish women can be classified as being clinically obese.