The string test. Aibu to think this is a pretty clear way to show you're overweight?

[africanprincessinscotland]

I caught a bit of a BBC programme earlier where they were doing the string test. I've never heard of it before, but it makes perfect sense. If your waist measurement is more than half your height, you are overweight. And because it's around your waist, it indicates how much visceral fat you have. That's the really bad type.

So, you get a piece of string, cut it to the length of your height (heel to head), fold it in half and put it around your waist. If it doesn't meet, you're overweight. Very simple.

I know that BMI is controversial, but with this, you can't really argue against it, can you? Unless you're pregnant!

This wouldn't work for me, I am very hourglass shaped and have a tiny waist but at only 5ft I'm 3.5 stone overweight.

Sorry to say this Titsalina but if you really had a tiny waist, this test would work for you

Just did the test and I have just under 6" to spare around my waist before being classed as fat. So hooray I'm not overweight! But I already knew that.

Africanprincess I'm an hourglass shape and when I lose weight, I lose it all around the waist an arms and face and thighs. My hips and bum stay the same size five or take an inch of padding.

Although I've noticed a bigger difference since doing weight training. My bum is bigger! but my waist is smaller!

The reason heart disease risk goes up for post-menopausal women is because the hormonal changes affect fat distribution patterns ( encourage abdominal fat storage).

Just because fat is on your abdomen doesn ‘t mean it’s visceral, you can have subcutaneous fat there too. I’m a normal, if high BMI and easily pass the string test and am an hourglass shape but still have a bit of fat on my belly. Post menopausal too.

HelenaDove yours is quite an individual situation, just like this wouldn't work for somebody pregnant. It's just one way that some (though not all) of us can keep tabs on our health, and take action a needed.

I can't recall which poster mentioned jumping up and down and seeing if your fat wobbles when you land, but mine certainly does!! So for me, and though I pass the string test (just), and my BMI is fine, it's clear I'm larger than I should be because if my penchant for wine and chocolate

In the programme they told you measure yourself at the point where your belly button is.

I also think this is a silly test.

I'm also five foot eight. At a thirty four inch waist I'd be a size 16/18 and significantly over weight.

I don't know what the bbc is doing, but telling people you're not over weight at that size is not ok.

I don't know what the bbc is doing, but telling people you're not over weight at that size is not ok.

I suggest watch the programme. The doctor using the string test was very clear - this test is a rough guide to identifying excess abdominal fat.

The guideline was that if your waist is more than half your height then this generally correlates with excess abdominal fat. In which case getting further advice or investigation would make sense.

If your waist is less than half your height you are less likely to have an abdominal fat problem.

Someone with a 33 inch waist at 5 ft 6 will be over a size 16, and they will be fat. Irresponsible.

If your waist is less than half your height you are less likely to have an abdominal fat problem

Nonsense. If I had a 33 inch waist this ridiculous measurement would tell me I don't have a problem with excess stomach fat and I absolutely would have.

And it's treating the public like idiots. Why would we need to faff about with string to work out of our waist was more than half put height. Most folks can do the math and use a tape measure.

Nonsense. If I had a 33 inch waist this ridiculous measurement would tell me I don't have a problem with excess stomach fat and I absolutely would have

The whole point is a quick ready reckoner to give an indication. That is it. Its based on height, waist and abdominal fat measures across population stats hence its a guide, not an absolute that will work for every individual.

Watch the programme, form your own judgement. At no point was there a dictatorial or absolute statement of the type you are claiming

Oh I don't have a tape measure, I don't sew. I do have string. If you have tape measure use that instead.

Shit! I'm overweight! 😭

I've two stone overweight yet my weight is few inches less then half my height

I don’t think so.
Post menopause the belly is prone to getting bigger without weight gain. It’s a shift rather than a change

Not overweight, 8.5 st/4’11”. But failed the string test. Guess I’m an apple so will have to diet a bit ☹️

I don't know, half my height would be 33 inches, if my waist was 33 inches I'd already be several stone overweight and heading towards morbidly obese. Even when I was about 2 stone overweight my waist was 30 inches as I have a very exaggerated hourglass shape.

Would you define waist as the smallest part of you, around your belly button or somewhere else? My waist is much higher than my belly button, possible due to a longer than average torso?

My natural body shape (and my DM’s for that matter) is very straight up and down with barely any waist. My hips are barely bigger than my waist, I have a very boyish figure, hardly any boobs either. I’m really muscly too. I’m top end of a healthy BMI but intrigued to do the string test, I’d hazard a guess that I’d fail!

At 5ft 8 you could be a healthy weight, according to the NHS calculator and depending on your frame size at 11 stone 11lb. If you were also pillar shaped a waist measurement of 34 in might not necessarily be a be a problem.

It doesn't work if You're carrying a my tum. I had three large babies and my stomach muscles were shot, . I needed physio and the exercises have tightened them so my waist is smaller than it was before I started. No weight change at alll

At 5ft 8 you could be a healthy weight, according to the NHS calculator and depending on your frame size at 11 stone 11lb. If you were also pillar shaped a waist measurement of 34 in might not necessarily be a be a problem

A 34 inch waist is a dress size 16/18. There will be very few women who are five foot eight wearing a size 16/18 who are not overweight and carrying too much abdominal fat.

I'm five foot eight. At this dress size I would be approx 15 stone and significantly over weight, clinically obese, and carrying too much abdominal fat. I could pass the test with a slightly smaller waist size and still be clinically obese.

The vast majority of women would be and that's my problem with it, it's lulling folks into a false sense of security, and basically telling them obesity is fine.

A waist measurement of 34 inches at 11 stone is a problem - suggests flab.

I'm currently vastly overweight but only just fail the string test. I recently tested my cardiac recovery (at the gym) and my heart is supposedly younger than my age. So although I'd like to be (much) slimmer I think it's likely I'm not carrying too much dangerous fat, just ugly fat.

Clip here of how to do it and why