Nurses can identify early warning signs for diabetes by measuring their patients' waist size, according to a new study by scientists at a hospital in Cambridge, England. Almost as important as body mass index (BMI) numbers, waist proportions are a key indicator of type 2 diabetes.
"Our results clearly show the value that measurement of [waist circumference] may have in identifying which people among the large population of overweight individuals are at highest risk of diabetes," the report said.
Researchers measured the waist size of about 30,000 middle-aged individuals. Over the course of 17 years, about 7 percent of men and 4.4 percent of women with large girths developed diabetes. For those with moderate waist sizes, only 4.9 percent of men and 2.7 percent of women got the disease. Additionally, scientists determined that waist size may be more useful than BMI measurements among women.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one-third of Americans suffer from obesity, which has the potential to result in diabetes and heart problems. By recognizing early warning signs, nurses can assist their patients by advising new dietary practices and exercise regimens.
"Our results clearly show the value that measurement of [waist circumference] may have in identifying which people among the large population of overweight individuals are at highest risk of diabetes," the report said.
Researchers measured the waist size of about 30,000 middle-aged individuals. Over the course of 17 years, about 7 percent of men and 4.4 percent of women with large girths developed diabetes. For those with moderate waist sizes, only 4.9 percent of men and 2.7 percent of women got the disease. Additionally, scientists determined that waist size may be more useful than BMI measurements among women.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one-third of Americans suffer from obesity, which has the potential to result in diabetes and heart problems. By recognizing early warning signs, nurses can assist their patients by advising new dietary practices and exercise regimens.
