I'm a healthy BMI (20), but my waist:height ratio is unhealthy, at about 0.6. What can I do?!

[buzzheath]

I've been "petite" my whole life, but have recently started feeling very large around my tummy, despite diet/what I eat/how much I exercise. I'm also South Asian, which has a bearing on how you carry fat i.e. BMI is often adjusted for ethnicity etc. I've just done the NHS waist:height calculation, and mine is quite a bit into the "unhealthy" category.

Obviously it is just a measurement, but I also feel quite uncomfortable because of my large stomach, and am at a loss as to why it's so big! It is so disproportionate to the rest of my body, and people are always quite surprised when they see how large it is. I don't have any health issues that would cause this - have had the blood tests for celiac, ovarian cancer, etc - all came back normal. I've never been pregnant or had kids, and in my early 30s. Help!

Could you be intolerant of gluten or lactose or another foodstuff? Lots of different things can cause bloating. Maybe you could experiment with cutting out certain foods and see if it makes any difference.

Are you doing exercises specifically designed to work your waist area?

Ignore the BMI.

Im not even sure why the NHS still use it 🙄 it’s so outdated.
It takes into account your entire body mass without having any idea of what that mass is made up of - muscle vs fat.
Thats why Olympic athlete’s like Ilona Maher are “morbidly obese” according to BMI measurements.

If you can, get a total body fat measurement. It’s a much better indicator of what’s actually going on that BMI.
The average women needs a minimum of 12% essential body fat - that’s the body fat to literally keep you alive.
Additional body fat varies by age, but generally for woman living a life with a moderate level of physical activity, it’s between 21-32% for a woman in her 20’s-40’s, between 23-33% for a woman in her 40’s-60’s and 24-35% for a woman aged 60+.

That doesn't really answer the question though. I don't think you can target weightless areas. I am an apple too, and I have lost nearly 5 stone and look ridiculous like an easter chick. Skinny legs, chest, arms and face and a big round belly. It's not bloating - it's fat. I suppose it will come off eventually but I don't really want to lose fat from anywhere else

What exercises are best for this?

Also the same. Also S Asian. Healthy BMI but has got worse in menopause. This is how we carry fat!
I exercise a lot but can't put on muscle. I have reduced carbs as low as I can, which has some effect but not enough.
It's shit really and I have had it with advice from non S Asians

Ignore the BMI.
Im not even sure why the NHS still use it 🙄 it’s so outdated

It's blunt, easily accessible, quick tool that works well for the vast majority of people and makes up just part of a bigger picture.

OP's BMI of 20 is a good indicator that she is a healthy weight. She is now noticing other things which concern her and she's looking into it.

OP would you be willing to share your actual measurements? Specifically what do you mean by "quite a bit into the unhealthy" category.
Has anything changed in your lifestyle at all?