A heart surgeon has demonstrated a straightforward at-home test that can help assess your risk of heart disease, requiring only a tape measure and a few minutes. Dr. Jeremy London, a cardiac surgeon active on TikTok, regularly posts advice on heart health and recently highlighted this method.
What Is the Waist-to-Height Ratio?
Dr. London explains that the test is called the waist-to-height ratio. The rule is simple: the circumference of your waist should be less than half your height. This is because belly fat, or visceral fat, is metabolically active and a known driver of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases.
He cites a study that followed over half a million patients for 12 years, which found that if fat was concentrated in the visceral area, there was an increased risk of heart disease.
How to Perform the Test at Home
To conduct the test, you need a tape measure. Measure your waist at the level of your belly button. Breathe all the way out and do not suck in. Then measure your height and divide your waist measurement by your height.
Dr. London advises: "If it's greater than 0.5, then this is a reason to dig a little deeper with your doctor." He adds that while this test does not tell the whole story, it is a great place to start. "If you don't measure it, you can't fix it," he notes.
Additional Advice for Heart Health
Dr. London's tip follows advice from cardiologist Dr. David Min, who shared four key foods that can help reduce heart disease risk: apples, avocados, blueberries, and oranges. Dr. Min told Eating Well that numerous studies show eating more fruit can lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death from cholesterol disease.
In addition to eating these fruits, other ways to lower heart disease risk include eating a healthy, balanced diet low in saturated fats and high in fiber, being more physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, and keeping blood pressure and diabetes under control.
