Brits underestimate waist size

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We all wish our stomach was just that little bit flatter, but new research shows Brits actually believe they are slimmer than they are.



The nation's in-denial attitude towards growing waistlines has become a concern for medical experts, who fear ignoring a growing girth could mean missing key warning signs for developing type 2 diabetes. Up to 750,000 people in the UK are currently unaware they have type 2 diabetes.



The study, conducted by Leicester University, revealed men underestimated their waist size by an average of 3.1 inches (7.9cm) and women by an average of 2.2 inches (5.5cm).



After questioning 502 people, researchers discovered people from white European backgrounds were worse than those from South Asian backgrounds when estimating their waistlines.



Professor Kamlesh Khunti, who led the research, said: 'This research shows that people need to be educated about the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and about accurately assessing their waist circumference.'



Douglas Smallwood, of the charity Diabetes UK, said: 'To believe that you are more than three inches slimmer than you are is to ignore a clear warning of a risk of diabetes.'

Tuesday 26 February 2008

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