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Q: I've heard that your waistline measurement is an important indicator to health. Is that true?

A: According to the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the location of fat on your body is important. If you carry fat mainly around your waist, you are more likely to develop health problems than if you carry fat mainly in your hips and thighs. This is true even if your BMI falls within the normal range. Women with a waist measurement of more than 35 inches or men with a waist measurement of more than 40 inches may have a higher disease risk than people with smaller waist measurements because of where their fat lies.

To measure your waist circumference, place a tape measure around your bare abdomen just above your hip bone. Be sure that the tape is snug, but does not compress your skin, and is parallel to the floor. Relax, exhale and measure your waist.

As you probably already know, extra weight can put you at higher risk for these health problems:

¢ Type 2 diabetes (high blood sugar)

¢ High blood pressure

¢ Heart disease and stroke

¢ Some types of cancer

¢ Sleep apnea (when breathing stops for short periods during sleep)

¢ Osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints)

¢ Gallbladder disease

¢ Liver disease

¢ Irregular menstrual periods

Q: What should I do if my BMI or waist measurement is too high?

A: If your BMI is between 25 and 30 and you are otherwise healthy, try to avoid gaining more weight, and look into healthy ways to lose weight and increase physical activity.

Talk to your health care provider about losing weight if your BMI is 30 or above, or your BMI is between 25 and 30 and you have two or more of the health problems listed above or a family history of heart disease or diabetes; or your waist measures over 35 inches (women) or 40 inches (men).

There are many BMI calculators out there on the Web, but if you don't know where to look, go to: www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmicalc.htm.

For a soup loaded with flavor, try this recipe from "Keep the Beat: Heart Healthy Recipes" cookbook from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Rockport Fish Chowder

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup onion, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup celery, coarsely chopped

1 cup carrots, sliced

2 cups potatoes, raw, peeled, cubed

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 cups bottled clam juice

8 whole peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 lb fresh or frozen (and thawed) cod or haddock fillets, cut into

3/4-inch cubes

1/4 cup flour

3 cups lowfat milk

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onion and celery, and saute for about 3 minutes. Add carrots, potatoes, thyme, paprika and clam broth. Wrap peppercorns and bay leaf in cheese cloth. Add to pot.

Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, then add fish and simmer for an added 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily and is opaque. Remove fish and vegetables. Break fish into chunks. Bring broth to boil and continue boiling until volume is reduced to 1 cup. Remove bay leaf and peppercorns. Shake flour and 1/2 cup lowfat milk in container with tight-fitting lid until smooth. Add to broth in saucepan, along with remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and is thickened.

Return vegetables and fish chunks to stock and heat thoroughly.

Yield: 8 (1 cup) servings

Each serving provides: 186 calories, 6 grams fat, 34 milligrams cholesterol, 302 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber, 15 grams protein, 18 grams carbohydrates and 602 milligrams potassium.