Waist Circumference
The tape-measure metric that sees visceral fat — risk thresholds at 40 inches (men) and 35 inches (women).
Waist circumference, measured at the top of the hip bones after a normal exhale, is the cheapest visceral-fat proxy medicine has: risk rises meaningfully above roughly 40 inches for men and 35 for women (lower cutoffs for some Asian populations), and it flags danger BMI misses in normal-weight-but-centrally-heavy patients.
During treatment it's also the better morale instrument: on GLP-1 therapy with any resistance training, weight can plateau while the waist keeps shrinking — fat leaving, muscle holding, the scale confounded. A monthly measurement, same conditions, same spot, alongside the weigh-in gives a two-signal dashboard that reads body change honestly.
This glossary entry is general information, not medical advice, and is written to be consistent with FDA prescribing information and primary trial publications as of its last review. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider for personal medical decisions.
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