BRITS should keep their waist measurement to less than half their height, according to health chiefs.

An NHS watchdog says it is an easy way for people to slash future illness risk.

It means a 5ft 10in (70in) adult should worry once their jean size creeps past 35in.

It is the first time the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has directly told the public to watch their guts by reaching for a tape measure.

Two in three adults are too fat, raising their chances of diabetes, liver and heart disease, and several cancers.

Dr Paul Chrisp, director for centre for guidelines at NICE, said: “A clear benefit of using the waist-to-height ratio is that people can easily measure it themselves, interpret the results, and seek medical advice if they are at increased health risk.”

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Prof Rachel Batterham, consultant in obesity, diabetes and endocrinology, who helped draft the advice, said: “Increased fat in the abdomen increases a person’s risk of developing several life-limiting diseases including Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

"Waist-to-height ratio is a simple, easy to use measure that identifies people who are at increased health risk and would benefit from weight management support to improve their health.”

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The 2019 Health Survey for England estimated 28 per cent of adults were obese and 36 per cent overweight.

The current cost of obesity is £6.1bn to the NHS and £27bn to wider society.

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