Call Mental Health Triage on
1800 629 354
(free call except from mobiles or public phones) or
6205 1065
For a poison emergency in Australia call
13 11 26
The Drug and Alcohol Help Line is available 24-hours, 7 days a week on
5124 9977
For after hours urgent public health matters including environmental health, radiation safety, food poisoning and communicable disease management phone:
02 5124 9700
Emergency help
during flood or storms
Where fat is located on your body is an important measure of your risk of developing ongoing health problems. Carrying excess body fat around your middle is more of a health risk than if it were on your hips and thighs, regardless of your height or build. For most adults, a waist measurement of more than 94 cm for men and 80 cm for women is an indicator of an increased level of internal fat deposits that coat the heart, kidneys, liver, digestive organs and pancreas. This can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Measuring your waist is a simple way check your risk of developing chronic disease.
Increased risk:
A waist circumference of 94 cm or more for males or 80 cm or more for women.
Substantially increased risk:
A waist circumference of 102 cm or more for men or 88 cm or more for women
Based on waist circumference, in 2017-18 more than half (54.7%) of all ACT males and two-thirds (66.0%) of all ACT females aged 18 years and over were at an increased, or substantially increased, risk of developing chronic diseases, such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Almost one-quarter of males (24.0%) and 22.8% of females recorded a waist circumference that put them at an increased risk of developing chronic disease, while a further 30.7% of males and 43.2% of females were at a substantially increased risk.